Method for monitoring an elevator system

Abstract

A method for monitoring an elevator system utilizes a mobile terminal device having at least one sensor to collect measurement values in an elevator car. The mobile terminal device is carried by a passenger of the elevator system. The collected measurement values are transmitted by the mobile terminal device to a central evaluation unit where they are evaluated. The mobile terminal device activates a measurement mode when it detects that it is located in a region of a shaft door of the elevator system.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an elevator system comprising the steps of: collecting measurement values in an elevator car of the elevator system using at least one sensor of a mobile terminal device; transmitting the collected measurement values by the mobile terminal device to a central evaluation unit; evaluating the transmitted measurement values by the evaluation unit; and the mobile terminal device activating a measurement mode, thus preparing the mobile terminal device for the collecting of the measurement values, when the mobile terminal device detects that it is located in a region of a shaft door of the elevator system.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device activates the measurement mode when the mobile terminal device detects that it is located inside the elevator car.

3. The method according to claim 1 where in the mobile terminal device receives and evaluates a signal from a positional information device to determine a position of the mobile terminal device in the elevator system.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device determines its position inside a building including the elevator system and from the determined position the mobile terminal device deduces whether it is located in the region of the shaft door of the elevator system.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device receives information representing its position inside a building including the elevator system from a positioning system and from the received information deduces whether it is located in the region of the shaft door of the elevator system.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device, by the at least one sensor, collects ones of the measurement values that mark movements of the mobile terminal device and, proceeding from the movements measurement values, detects whether it is located in the region of the shaft door of the elevator system.

7. The method according to claim 6 including deducing a motion pattern from the movements measurement values of the mobile terminal device and comparing the motion pattern with at least one stored signal pattern, and basing the detection of whether the mobile terminal device is located in the region of the shaft door on the comparison.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device, by the at least one sensor, collects ones of the measurement values that mark an activity of the elevator system and, proceeding from the activity measurement values, detects whether the mobile terminal device is located in the region of the shaft door of the elevator system.

9. The method according to claim 8 including deducing an activity pattern from the activity measurement values and comparing the activity pattern with at least one stored signal pattern, and basing the detection of whether the terminal device is located in the region of the shaft door on the comparison.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device, utilizing the at least one sensor, collects ones of the measurement values marking properties of an environment of the mobile terminal device and based on the properties measurement values detects whether it is located in the region of the shaft door of the elevator system.

11. The method according to claim 10 including deducing a property pattern from the properties measurement values and comparing the property pattern with at least one stored signal pattern, and basing the detection of whether the terminal device is located in the region of the shaft door on the comparison.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device upon activation of the measurement mode also starts a measurement of the measurement values.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the mobile terminal device starts and ends the measurement of the measurement values in response to an external signal.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device utilizes the at least one sensor to monitor ones of the measurement values that mark movements of the mobile terminal device and starts a measurement of the movements measurement values when a start condition dependent on at least one of the measurement values is fulfilled.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mobile terminal device utilizes the at least one sensor to monitor ones of the measurement values that mark movements of the mobile terminal device and ends a measurement of the movements measurement values when an end condition dependent on at least one measurement values is fulfilled.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an elevator car with one passenger,

(2) FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c show chronological behaviors of rotational speeds when a passenger enters an elevator car,

(3) FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c show chronological behaviors of magnetic fields intensities when a passenger enters an elevator car, and

(4) FIG. 4 shows a chronological behavior of an acceleration in a vertical direction during a trip of an elevator car.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) According to FIG. 1, an elevator system 10 has an elevator car 11 which can move in an elevator shaft 12 in a vertical direction 13 up and down. The elevator system 10 is arranged in a building 9 depicted only symbolically as a rectangle. In addition, the elevator car 11 is connected via a flexible support means 14 and a drive roller 15 of a drive not further shown to a counterweight 16. Via the drive roller 15 and the support means 14, the drive can move the elevator car 11 and the counterweight 16 in opposite directions up and down. The elevator shaft 12 has three shaft openings 17a, 17b, and 17c and thus three floors, which are closed with the shaft doors 18a, 18b, and 18c. FIG. 1 shows the elevator car 11 and the shaft opening 17a, thus at the lowest floor. When the elevator car 11 is located at a floor, i.e. at one of the shaft openings 17a, 17b, or 17c, the corresponding shaft door 18a, 18b, or 18c together with a car door 19 can be opened and thus the elevator car 11 can be entered. To open the car door 19 and the corresponding shaft door 18a, 18b, or 18c, the door segments, not further shown, are pushed aside, so that the door segments are displaced to the side. The car door 19 and the corresponding shaft door 18a, 18b, or 18c are actuated by a door drive 20, which is controlled by a door control unit 21. The door control unit 21 is in signal connection with an elevator control unit 22, which controls the entire elevator system. The elevator control unit 22 controls the drive, for example, and can thus move the elevator car 11 to a desired floor. For example, it can transmit a command to the door control unit 22 to open the car door 19 and the corresponding shaft door 18a, 18b, or 18c, which the door control unit 21 then executes by means of corresponding control of the door drive 20.

(6) At the lowest floor, thus in front of shaft door 18a, stands a passenger 23 who carries a mobile terminal device in the form of a mobile telephone 24. The mobile telephone 24 has several sensors 25, of which only a microphone is depicted. The mobile telephone 24 in addition has three-dimensional acceleration-, rotational speed-, and magnetic fields sensors, which can detect measurement values in the x-, y-, and z-directions. As explained above, the measurement values detected by the acceleration-, rotational speed-, and magnetic fields sensors can be simply converted into values with respect to absolute x-, y-, and z-directions. All of the following statements concerning accelerations, rotational speeds, or magnetic field intensities thus relate to measurement values and statements regarding x-, y-, and z-directions converted in this way to absolute x-, y-, and z-directions.

(7) Measurement values detected on the basis of the sensors of the mobile telephone 24 should be determined when the passenger 23 enters a region 31 in front of the shaft door 18a and the mobile telephone 24 is thus in the region 31 of the shaft door 18a. The mobile telephone 24 thus is located in the region 31 of the shaft door. The region 31 extends to a distance of 1.5 m from the shaft door 18a, for example. In addition, it should be determined when the passenger 23 enters the elevator car 11 and the mobile telephone 24 is thus in the elevator car 11. The mobile telephone 24 in addition detects ongoing measurement values and evaluates same. The mobile telephone 24 detects the rotational speeds about the x-, y-, and z-axis, for example. These measured rotational speeds identify not only motions of the mobile telephone 24, but also motions of the passenger 23. Measurement values are detected continuously and a continuing motion pattern of the passenger 23 is produced by combining the individual measurement values of the different accelerating sensors. The measurement values here are in particular filtered by means of a low-pass filter. Said motion pattern thus contains in this case the behaviors of the rotational speeds about the x-, y-, and z-axis. The mobile telephone 24 compares the continuing motion pattern thus produced with stored signal patterns which are typical of the motion pattern on approaching a shaft door of an elevator system and on entering an elevator car 11. In order to be able to make the comparison, features in the form of averages, standard deviations, and minimal/maximal values of the individual rotational speeds or chronological segments of the rotational speeds are determined and compared with the stored values. If the differences between the features of the measured behaviors and the stored features are smaller than determinable threshold values, adequate agreement of a motion pattern with a stored signal pattern is recognized. From this the mobile telephone 24 infers that the passenger 23 has entered the region 31 of the shaft door 18a and the elevator car 11.

(8) As soon as the mobile telephone 24 recognizes that it is in the region of the shaft door 18a, or at the latest when it recognizes that it is located in the car 11, it activates a measurement mode in which it is ready for measurements during the upcoming trip in the elevator car 11 for monitoring the elevator system 10. Toward this end the mobile telephone 24 starts a special app and puts it in measurement mode so that only a start signal is needed for detecting measurement data. In addition, the sensors needed for the determination are also activated and undergo a function test. The definition of which sensors are to detect which measurement values at what sampling rate is loaded in the app.

(9) The measurement of the measurement value can be started at the same time as activation of the measurement mode of the mobile telephone 24, and continued for a time period of 60-240 s for example, which is stored in the app. After completion of measurement of the measurement values, the mobile telephone 24 transmits the collected measurement values to a central evaluation unit 32. The transmission takes place in particular via the Internet, since a transmission from the elevator car 11 or even from the building 9 in which the elevator system 10 is located can be problematic. The mobile telephone 24 stores the collected measurement data therefore until a transmission to the evaluation unit 32 is possible. The evaluation unit 32 tests using the collected measurement data whether there is a fault in the elevator system 10 or if maintenance of the elevator system 10 should be done.

(10) The comparison between a measured motion pattern and a stored signal pattern and thus the recognition or classification of motion patterns can also be carried out with methods of so-called machine learning. For example, a so-called Support Vector Machine, a Random Forest Algorithm, or a Deep Learning Algorithm can be used.

(11) In addition, transversal accelerations in the x-, y-, and z-directions can also be considered, so that the motion pattern also contains the behaviors of the accelerations in the x-, y-, and z-direction.

(12) It is also possible that the mobile telephone 24 completely identifies entry of an elevator car 11 not entirely alone, but transmits the detected data to the evaluation unit even before the measurement of measurement data. In addition, intermediate stations not shown in the building 9 can be present in the region of the elevator system 10, which reliably allow forwarding of the measurement data to the evaluation unit 32. The detection of entry of the elevator car 11 is then carried out by the evaluation device 32. As soon as entry of the region 31 of the shaft door 18a or entry of the elevator car 11 is detected, the evaluation device 32 transmits a corresponding signal to the mobile telephone 24.

(13) FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c depict a measured motion pattern and a stored signal pattern over time, wherein FIG. 2a shows the rotational speeds a about the x-axis, FIG. 2b about the y-axis, and FIG. 2c about the z-axis. The measured rotational speeds in each case are depicted with a solid line and the stored rotational speeds of the signal pattern in each case with a broken line. The solid lines 26a, 26b, and 26c thus represent the measured rotational speeds and the broken lines 27a, 27b, and 27c the stored rotational speeds about the x-, y-, and z-axis. The measured values are shown smoothed out.

(14) The stored signal pattern (broken lines 27a, 27b, 27c) contains typical behaviors of rotational speeds as occur on approach to a shaft door and on entering an elevator car. From the time t0 to the time t1, the passenger approaches the shaft door so as to stop up to time t1, and until time t2 to wait for opening of the shaft and car doors. At this time, hardly any rotational speeds occur. From the time t2 to the time t3, the passenger enters the elevator car and then turns in the direction of the car door. This turning leads first of all to a marked swing in the rotational speeds about the z-axis (line 27c), wherein at the start and end of the swing a brief undershooting in the opposite direction occurs. As is plain in FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c, the measured motion pattern (solid lines 26a, 26b, 26c) follows quite exactly the stored signal pattern. The comparison of the motion pattern with stored signal patterns proceeds as described above. Based on this agreement, the mobile telephone 24 infers that the passenger 23 is located in the region 31 of the shaft door 18a, or has entered the elevator car 11.

(15) Since not all persons move in the same way, in that for example they turn at different speeds, and for example the waiting times are different lengths, the measured motion pattern in particular is not compared with only one signal pattern, but with a whole series of slightly different signal patterns.

(16) Supplementary to the rotational speeds, in addition accelerations in the x-, y-, and z-directions can also be considered in a comparable manner. Thus, in particular running in the direction of the shaft door and into the elevator car, as well as waiting in front of and in the elevator car can be identified more easily.

(17) So as to make entry into a region of a shaft door or an elevator car more reliably detectable, in particular further measurement values detected by sensors of the mobile telephone are evaluated. The mobile telephone 24 in particular detects the magnetic field intensity in the x-, y-, and z-directions using the three-dimensional magnetic field sensor. The measured values thus identify a property of the elevator system. It is only possible with very great difficulty to infer from measurement values at a single time that the mobile telephone and thus the passenger is located in the region of a shaft door or in an elevator car. For this reason, a property pattern is created from the chronological behaviors of the three field intensities, wherein the measured values are in particular filtered by a low pass filter. The mobile telephone 24 compares the continuous property pattern thus produced with the stored signal patterns, which are typical of a property pattern on approaching a shaft door and on entering an elevator car 11. If sufficient agreement of a motion pattern with a stored signal pattern is recognized, the mobile telephone 24 infers from that agreement that the passenger 23 is located in the region 31 of the shaft door 18a, or that he has entered the elevator car 11. The comparison of the motion pattern with stored signal patterns proceeds as described above.

(18) In FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c, a measured property pattern and a stored signal pattern over time are shown, wherein FIG. 3a shows the magnetic field intensity H in the x-direction, FIG. 3b in the y-direction, and FIG. 3c in the z-direction. The measured field intensities in each case are shown with a solid line and the stored field intensities of the signal pattern in each case are shown with a broken line. The solid lines 28a, 28b, and 28c thus represent the measured field intensities and the broken lines 29a, 29b, and 29c the stored field intensities in the x-, y-, and z-directions. The measured values are shown smoothed out.

(19) The stored signal pattern (broken lines 29a, 29b, and 29c) contains typical behaviors of field intensities as they occur on approaching a shaft door and entering an elevator car. Shortly before until shortly after the time t2, in which the passenger enters the elevator car, a significant increase in the field intensities in the y- and x-directions may be seen, whereas the field intensity in the x-direction remains quasi unchanged the entire time. The change in field intensities may be attributed in particular to the use of ferromagnetic materials in the elevator car. As is plain in FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c, the measured property pattern (solid lines 28a, 28b, and 28c) follows the stored signal pattern quite exactly. This agreement is for the mobile telephone a further indicator that the passenger has entered the elevator car. The comparison of the property pattern with stored signal patterns proceeds analogously to the above described comparison of the motion pattern with stored signal patterns.

(20) Since not all elevator systems have identical property patterns, for these can vary, the measured property pattern is in particular compared not only with one signal pattern, but with a whole series of slightly different signal patterns.

(21) Apart from that, additional further measurement values such as the air pressure, brightness, humidity, or carbon dioxide content of the air can be considered, for example.

(22) A further increase in the reliability of identifying entry into a region of a shaft door or an elevator car can be achieved in that in addition, more measurement values are considered which identify an activity of the elevator system. For example, from the above described magnetic field intensities, an activity pattern can be deduced which is compared with a signal pattern which is typical of opening of the car and shaft doors. Another possibility is to deduce an activity pattern from the sounds measured with the microphone and compare it with a signal pattern that is typical of the opening of car and shaft doors. It can be helpful as with the motion and property patterns to compare the activities patterns with several slightly different signal patterns. Adequate agreement between the measured activity pattern and a stored signal pattern can again be assessed as an indicator that the passenger is located in a region of a shaft door or has entered an elevator car.

(23) The mobile telephone can be configured such that it identifies an entry into a region of a shaft door or an elevator car even if there is a single adequate agreement of a motion pattern, a property pattern, or an activity pattern with a stored signal pattern. It is also possible, however, that entry is only identified when there are at least two, three, or more agreements.

(24) In order to make the detection of entry into a region of a shaft door or elevator car more reliable, the stored signal patterns can be adjusted. With an adjustment, the method can in particular be adjusted to the behavior of the owner of the mobile telephone. For this the mobile telephone in particular detects a trip in an elevator car. This can be very reliably detected by monitoring the acceleration in the z-direction and thus in the vertical direction 13. As an example, in FIG. 4 the line 30 shows the course of acceleration a in the z-direction upward, wherein the gravitational acceleration is neglected. The elevator car 11 and thus also the passenger 23 with their mobile telephone 24 starting at time t4 are accelerated at a nearly constant rate. Shortly before the desired speed of the elevator car 11 is reached, the acceleration drops in order to reach the zero line by the time t5. The elevator car 11 then travels up until the time t6 at a constant speed so as then to be braked at a quasi constant negative acceleration until the time t7. This typical course with acceleration in the vertical direction, constant travel, and braking until a standstill can be detected very well in the measurement values.

(25) As soon as travel in an elevator car is detected, motion, activity, and/or property patterns collected prior to travel are compared with stored signal patterns and on the basis of the comparison the stored signal patterns are adjusted with the methods of machine learning. In this process, the stored signal patterns are changed in the direction of the motion, activity, and/or property patterns collected prior to the trip.

(26) Instead of evaluating measurement values of the sensors of the mobile telephone 24 as described, in order to detect that the mobile telephone 24 is located in the region 31 of the shaft door 18a or inside the elevator car, the mobile telephone 24 can also receive a signal from a positional information device in the form of a beacon 33 arranged in the elevator car 11. The beacon 33 here in particular transmits a signal that only beacons in an elevator car transmit. As soon as the mobile telephone 24 receives this signal, it knows that it is located in the region of an elevator car 11. As soon as the signal intensity of the received signal exceeds a first threshold value, the mobile telephone 24 identifies that it is located in the elevator car 11. The beacon 33 can also transmit a signal by which it can be identified. If the mobile telephone 24 knows which beacon sent the signal it receives, it can test using stored information whether the beacon is in an elevator car. It is also possible that the information regarding the location of the beacon can be queried from an information module not shown.

(27) Instead of the beacon 33, the door control unit 21 for example, a component of the elevator system 10 can transmit a corresponding signal that is received by the mobile telephone 24 and evaluated as described.

(28) The mobile telephone 24 can also determine its position within the building 9 in which the elevator system is arranged. The mobile telephone 24 thus has a so-called indoor navigation system. The indoor navigation system evaluates signals from a plurality of beacons, not shown, within the building 9 and determines from them the position of the mobile telephone 24 within the building 9. By comparison with a map of the building 9 it can be determined whether the terminal device is located in the region of the shaft door 18a or in an elevator car 11.

(29) The mobile telephone 24 can also receive information concerning its position within the building 9 which has the elevator system 10 from a positioning system 34. The building 9 in which the elevator system 10 is installed in this case has the positioning system 34 which can determine the location of the mobile telephone 24. This positioning system 34 transmits information on the position of the mobile telephone 24 to the mobile telephone 24. This information can relate to the position within the building 9 and the mobile telephone 24 can compare the position with a map of the building 9 and deduce from that whether it is located in the region of the shaft door 18a. It is also possible that the positioning system 34 transmits the corresponding information directly to the mobile telephone 24 if it is located in the region of the shaft door 18a or in the elevator car 11.

(30) Instead of activating measurement of the measurement data at the same time as activation of the measurement mode of the mobile telephone 24, the mobile telephone 24 can start and/or end the measurement of measurement values based on an external signal. This external signal for example is transmitted from the elevator control unit 22 at the start of and at the end of a trip of the elevator car 11 to the mobile telephone 24.

(31) The external signal can also be transmitted at the start of a trip, for example, and contain information on the anticipated duration of the upcoming trip. It is also possible that the external signal is transmitted prior to the start of the trip and contains information about how long it is before the trip starts. In addition, here as well the anticipated duration of the trip can be sent.

(32) It is likewise possible that, using at least one sensor, the mobile telephone 24 already in measurement mode monitors the measurement values which mark the movements of the mobile telephone 24. It begins the collection of measurement values when one start condition dependent on at least one measurement value is fulfilled, and ends collection of measurement values when one end condition dependent on at least one measurement value is fulfilled.

(33) As already described above, FIG. 4 shows a typical course of the acceleration in the z-direction during a trip of an elevator car 11 upward. The measurement of the measurement values is started when the acceleration exceeds a first acceleration threshold value 35 and thus fulfills a start condition. The measurement of the measurement values ends when the acceleration goes below a second acceleration threshold value 36 and then exceeds a third acceleration threshold value 37 and thus fulfills an end condition.

(34) Alternatively, or additionally, the air pressure measured by a barometer can be evaluated for detecting a trip in an elevator car and fulfillment of the start and end conditions can be tested. For example, a start condition can thus be that the amount of gradients of the air pressure exceeds a first gradient threshold value. An end condition could then be, for example, that the amount of the air pressure gradient goes below a second gradient threshold value.

(35) In conclusion it should be pointed out that terms such as “having,” “comprising,” etc. do not exclude any other elements or steps, and terms such as “one” or “a” do not rule out a plurality. Furthermore, it is pointed out that features or steps which were described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of above described exemplary embodiments.

(36) In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.