The invention relates to a method for defining a condition of an elevator car suspension means. The method includes detecting a rate of change of elongation of the elevator car suspension means in order to define the condition of the elevator car suspension means. The invention relates also to an elevator safety control unit and an elevator system performing at least partly the method.

Provided is a derailment detection device for a counterweight of an elevator comprising: a wire suspended in parallel with a guide rail for the counterweight; a cylindrical member which has an arm portion connected to the counterweight and allows the wire to pass therethrough in a vertical direction; a detection target connected to a lower end of the wire; a photoelectric sensor which is provided on a fixed surface so as to be opposed to a lower surface of the detection target and measures a distance to the detection target; and a detection circuit electrically connected to the photoelectric sensor. The detection circuit detects that the counterweight runs off the guide rail based on the distance from the photoelectric sensor to the detection target.

Disclosed is an elevator system for a multi-level architectural structure, the elevator system having an elevator controller for an elevator in a hoistway, wherein the elevator controller effects a first determination of whether passengers or goods are in the elevator and effects a power mode for the elevator based on the first determination.

The present invention provides an elevator encoder diagnostic system and an elevator encoder diagnostic method by which input and output ports are kept from being occupied, functional restriction is suppressed, and abnormalities and malfunctions occurring in encoders provided in a dual-system can be detected. The elevator encoder diagnostic system according to the present invention includes a first encoder 16a and a second encoder 16b that are provided on a rotary portion of the elevator, a first diagnostic unit 21a connected to the first encoder, and a second diagnostic unit 21b connected to the second encoder, a first determination unit 23a and a second determination unit 23b that detect differences between encoder rotation amounts of the respective encoder systems and rotation detection signals of the other encoder systems, and, if a difference therebetween exceeds a predetermined threshold, determines that an abnormality has occurred.

A mobile control unit and a method remotely control an elevator installation in an inspection mode, wherein the elevator installation includes an elevator car, an elevator controller and a safety circuit. The elevator controller automatically controls the elevator car for movement in a normal mode of the elevator installation when the safety circuit is electrically closed. In order to control the elevator installation, the mobile control unit is connected to the elevator installation such that the mobile control unit can switch the elevator installation between the normal mode and the inspection mode, and the elevator car can be manually controlled for movement via the mobile control unit in the inspection mode of the elevator installation.

A method and a system for the evacuation of buildings providing an elevator system includes at least one elevator car and an elevator shaft. The system includes a device to detect an incident or a device to receive an emergency signal in this regard, a device for determining the floor of this incident, and at least one sealing element (positioned in the elevator shaft and constructed to seal the elevator shaft, so that the elevator shaft is divided in at least two sections.

A system and method for detecting a brake dragging during normal operation of a motor monitors torque at zero speed and at constant speed. For an inertial system acted upon by gravity, a value of torque required to maintain zero speed is approximately the same as a value of torque required to maintain operation at a constant speed. In an exemplary, elevator system, a motor drive determines the torque required to maintain zero speed operation of an elevator cab after a holding brake opens and before it begins controlling the motor to rotate. The motor drive again determines the torque required to maintain a constant speed and compares this value to the value of torque required to maintain zero speed. If the difference between the two values of torque is greater than a predefined threshold, then the motor drive determines that the brake is dragging and sets an error message.

Disclosed is an elevator system having a first sensor in communication with an elevator in a multi-level hoistway, wherein during an emergency the elevator instructs the first sensor to sense conditions and transmit sensor data representing the sensed conditions, and the transmitted sensor data is processed to obtain an image representing an intensity of hazard conditions on at least a subset of levels serviced by the multilevel hoistway.

A car controller for an elevator car of an elevator system can be arranged on the elevator car. The car controller obtains a primary door opening request from an elevator controller of the elevator system, obtains at least one control signal, the at least one control signal indicating whether the elevator car is in a state intended for opening a car door of the elevator car, and transmits or withholds a secondary door opening request on the basis of the primary door opening request and the at least one control signal.

A system for elevator door sensor fusion, fault detection, and service notification is provided. The system includes a processor and a memory including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include monitoring outputs of a plurality of sensors. It is determined whether the outputs of the plurality of sensors follow an expected pattern. Based at least in part on determining that the outputs of the plurality of sensors do not follow the expected pattern: identifying a sensor in the plurality of sensors that is not following the expected pattern, and transmitting a notification indicating that the sensor is exhibiting unexpected behaviour.