Methods and systems for determining elevator car locations are provided. Aspects includes a sensor affixed to a moving component of an elevator system, wherein the sensor is operated by a controller and wherein the controller is configured to determine that the elevator car is in motion based at least in part on the sensor. A direction of the elevator car is determined while the elevator car is in motion based at least in part on the sensor. Sensor data associated with the elevator car is collected while the elevator car is in motion, wherein the sensor data includes a travel time while the elevator car is in motion. Elevator car travel data is accessed from a travel time profile associated with the elevator car and the travel time is compared to the elevator car travel data to determine a location of the elevator car in a hoistway.

According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator car parking brake. An operating fork is configured to move within a housing in a direction perpendicular to an end surface of a guide rail in response to operating an actuator. When the actuator is operated to move the operating fork within the housing towards the guide rail to achieve a braking state, the operating fork is configured to push braking wedges towards side surfaces of the guide rail to contact the side surfaces. When the actuator is operated to move the operating fork within the housing away from the guide rail to achieve a brake release state, detaching means are configured to pull the braking wedges away from the side surfaces of the guide rail.

The present disclosure contains embodiments of an apparatus, system and method designed to facilitate learning or efficient multitasking involving movement and solar energy where users' movement devices process or respond to different stimuli to facilitate users moving while learning, working, or participating in a simulation. In some embodiments this may be accomplished with the aid of a circular treadmill, spherical walkway, or combinable modular trackpads that may be linked to allow a user to lay the apparatus in a path suited for a plurality of environments. The embodiments of the disclosure involve the user moving while processing information and receiving feedback, assistance related to that movement, processing, or any combination thereof while combining the motion of the movement device with the feedback loop sent from sensor relays a user may receive an optimal experience for learning while moving. Some embodiments make efficient use of solar energy for classroom education management.

A method for operating an elevator system that includes an elevator car movable between landings in response to an elevator call registered by an elevator control unit. The method includes determining a special operating mode of the elevator system, the special operating mode being different from a nominal operating mode at least with respect to a characteristic of use of the elevator car, and operating, in the special operating mode, the elevator system so as to reduce a number of passengers entering the elevator car from the landing compared to the nominal operating mode based on the characteristic.

A smartwatch includes a destination handling unit configured to issue a destination call in an elevator system of an environment. The smartwatch has an input for entering destination data as well as an output for indicating an allocated elevator of the elevator system. The smartwatch includes a navigation system including a memory with map data of the environment. The navigation system includes a position detector for detecting the location of the smartwatch within the environment, and a navigation output connected with the output. The navigation system is coupled with the destination handling unit to issue a destination call based on data of the position detector and/or for providing navigation guide data based on an issued destination call.

A method for controlling a passenger flow in a building includes: dividing a group of elevators to sub-groups; receiving a service call; selecting a sub-group to provide a service and generating an indication for indicating the selected sub-group; selecting a first candidate elevator; evaluating a second candidate elevator by comparing the second forecast time to the first forecast time; selecting the second candidate elevator to provide the service if the second forecast time is less than the first forecast time. The evaluation is continued until a selection is locked for the service call due to at least one characteristic relating to the elevator system. The invention also relates to a group controller, a computer program product, and an elevator system.

An elevator device according to this disclosure includes a detection device, an identification module, and a determination module. The detection device is provided to a car of an elevator, and detects detection information. The identification module repeatedly acquires identification information for identifying a passenger from the detection information detected by the detection device. The determination module determines a leaving floor of the passenger based on a change in the identification information acquired by the identification module and a floor on which the car stops.

An elevator device according to this disclosure includes a detection device, an identification module, and a determination module. The detection device is provided to a car of an elevator, and detects detection information. The identification module repeatedly acquires identification information for identifying a passenger from the detection information detected by the detection device. The determination module determines a leaving floor of the passenger based on a change in the identification information acquired by the identification module and a floor on which the car stops.

A device and a method for detecting elevator rope elongation, and an elevator. An elevator rope is connected to a rope head device and an operating device in an elevator, and the device for detecting elevator rope elongation includes: one and more brackets connected to an elastic reset member in the rope head device, a coupling member connected to at least one of the brackets and configured to be driven into a trigger position by the at least one bracket when the displacement of the elastic reset member exceeds a threshold value due to reduction of compression amount, and a trigger connected to the coupling member and configured to be triggered to generate a trigger signal when the coupling member is driven into the trigger position.

Elevator components can be equipped with an electronic information plate. The electronic information plate are associated with a particular electronic information plate that can store different properties of the associated component. The content of each electronic information plate is read manually or automatically and transmitted to a controller. The controller analyzes the received content and launches a predetermined action if the content indicates a possible mistake or a fraud.