PASSENGER TRANSPORT INSTALLATION, SERVICING METHOD AND SERVICING CONTROLLER

Abstract

A passenger transport installation, e.g. an elevator or stairway, includes at least one drive motor, a conveying device, sensors and an installation controller. The installation controller is connected to at least one local bus node via a status bus, which bus node can receive status signals from an assigned sensor and transmit the same to the installation controller via the status bus to control the passenger transport installation depending on the status signals received. A servicing controller, as a replacement for at least one of the sensors, is connected to the local bus node that is assigned to the replaced sensor or to a centralized bus node for delivering simulated status signals that correspond to the status signals of the replaced sensor in a state that is selectable by the servicing controller.

Claims

1-16 (canceled)

17. A passenger transport installation including at least one drive motor, a conveying means, at least one sensor and an installation controller, the installation controller being connected to at least one local bus node via a status bus, the at least one local bus node receiving status signals from the at least one sensor and transmitting the status signals to the installation controller via the status bus, the installation controller controlling the passenger transport installation in response to the status signals received from the at least one local bus node, comprising: a servicing controller that, as a replacement for the at least one sensor, is connected to the at least one local bus node or to a centralized bus node connected to the status bus, and wherein the servicing controller delivers simulated status signals that correspond to the status signals from the replaced at least one sensor in a state that is selected by the servicing controller.

18. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the simulated status signals are generated in the servicing controller or are generated based on bus signals that are present at the at least one local bus node.

19. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the servicing controller includes a user interface for at least one of controlling the delivery of the simulated signals and selecting the at least one sensor to be replaced.

20. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the servicing controller is adapted for replacing safety-related sensors or for replacing non-safety-related, operation-related sensors of the passenger transport installation.

21. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the servicing controller delivers the simulated status signals that correspond to the status signals from the at least one sensor thereby simulating states of the at least one sensor or the status signals from the at least one sensor, wherein the status signals delivered by the at least one sensor occur in a state or in a plurality of different states of the at least one sensor or in an event of various influences on the at least one sensor.

22. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the at least one sensor is one of an electromechanical sensor, an optical sensor or signal generator, a magnetic sensor or signal generator, a thermal sensor and an RFID module.

23. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the servicing controller is adapted to: select sensors, including the at least one sensor, of the passenger transport installation to be replaced; generate simulated status signals for the selected sensors; and couple the simulated status signals into local bus nodes that correspond to the selected sensors, or couple the simulated status signals and identification data for the selected sensors into a centralized bus node, and switch off the local bus nodes that correspond to the selected sensors after the coupling.

24. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the servicing controller includes a contact module and a control module, and wherein: the control module is adapted for selecting sensors of the passenger transport installation, including the at least one sensor, to be replaced, for generating simulated status signals for the selected sensors, and for delivering the simulated status signals to the contact module; and the contact module is adapted for coupling the simulated status signals into local bus nodes that correspond to the selected sensors.

25. The passenger transport installation according to claims 17 wherein the servicing controller includes a program module by which the passenger transport installation is imaged together with selectable sensors of the passenger transport installation on a display unit, or by which the passenger transport installation is imaged together with the selectable sensors, including interactions of a contact module and a control module of the servicing controller and the selectable sensors, on the display unit.

26. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 wherein the servicing controller includes a contact module and a control module, the control module being a tablet computer connected to the contact module by a wired or a wireless communication channel.

27. The passenger transport installation according to claim 17 including a plurality of selectable sensors and associated local bus nodes and wherein the servicing controller is connected to the associated bus nodes by plug contacts.

28. A method for servicing the passenger transport installation according to claim 17, comprising the steps of: connecting the servicing controller to the at least one local bus node or to the centralized bus node; and operating the servicing controller to deliver the simulated status signals which correspond to the status signals of the at least one sensor in a selected state.

29. The method according to claim 28 including operating the servicing controller to perform the steps of: selecting sensors of the passenger transport installation, including the at least one sensor, to be replaced; generating simulated status signals for the selected sensors; and coupling the simulated status signals into local bus nodes that correspond to the selected sensors, or coupling the simulated status signals and identification data for the selected sensors into the centralized bus node, and after the coupling, switching off the decentralized bus nodes that correspond to the selected sensors.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the servicing controller includes a contact module and a control module, and including the steps of: interconnecting the contact module and the control module with a wired or a wireless communication channel; selecting the sensors to be replaced using the control module; generating the simulated status signals for the selected sensors using the control module; delivering the simulated status signals to the contact module; and coupling the simulated status signals into the local bus nodes corresponding to the selected sensors using the contact module.

31. The method according to claim 29 wherein the servicing controller includes a program module, and including using the program to image the passenger transport installation together with the sensors on a display unit, or using the program module to image the passenger transport installation together with the sensors, including interactions of the modules and the sensors, on the display unit.

32. A servicing controller for a passenger transport installation, the passenger transport installation including a drive motor, a conveying means, a plurality of sensors and an installation controller, the installation controller being connected to a plurality of local bus nodes via a status bus, each of the local bus nodes receiving status signals from an associated one of the sensors and transmitting the status signals to the installation controller via the status bus, the installation controller controlling the passenger transport installation in response to the status signals received from the local bus nodes, comprising: the servicing controller being connected to the local bus nodes or to a centralized bus node connected to the status bus, and wherein the servicing controller is adapted to select each of the sensors for replacement and deliver simulated status signals that correspond to the status signals from the replaced sensors in a state that is selected by the servicing controller.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] The passenger transport installation according to the invention is explained in greater detail below using examples and with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0047] FIG. 1 schematically shows an escalator serving as a passenger transport installation and comprising nine sensors and a control device, which control device comprises an installation controller that can selectively be connected via a status bus and local bus nodes to the assigned sensors or, as shown, to a servicing controller, by means of which the behavior of the sensors can be simulated;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows the passenger transport installation from FIG. 1 comprising a servicing controller, which servicing controller comprises a contact module that can be connected to the local bus nodes and a control module in the form of a tablet computer, by means of which the contact module can be controlled; and

[0049] FIG. 3 shows the passenger transport installation from FIG. 2 comprising a servicing controller that merely comprises the control module or the tablet computer, which can be connected to a central bus node.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an escalator 1 serving as a passenger transport installation that connects a first level E1 to a second level E2. The escalator 1 has a support structure 6 that is only illustrated by contour lines and comprises two deflection regions 7, 8, between which a step belt 5 is guided in a revolving manner. The step belt 5 comprises pulling means 9 on which steps 4 are arranged. A handrail 3 is arranged on a balustrade 31. The balustrade 31 is connected to the support structure 6 at the lower end by means of a balustrade base 32. The escalator 1 has a balustrade 31 on each of the two sides thereof, only one of which is visible in the side view.

[0051] The escalator 1 also comprises a drive motor 11, by means of which the step belt 5 and thus the conveying means, the handrail 3 and the steps 4 are driven via a reduction gear 12. The three-phase AC drive motor 11 is supplied with electrical energy from a power supply network.

[0052] FIG. 1 further shows that the passenger transport installation 1 comprises nine sensors S1, . . . , S9 integrated in the passenger transport installation 1 and a control device 2, which comprises an installation controller 21 which can be selectively connected via a status bus 22 and local bus nodes 231, . . . , 239 either to the assigned sensors S1, . . . , S9 or, as shown, to a servicing controller 26. By means of the servicing controller 26, the behavior of the sensors S1, . . . , S9 can selectively be simulated preferably for all states of the sensors S1, . . . , S9.

[0053] In normal operation, the local bus nodes 231, . . . , 239 receive status signals from the assigned sensors S1, . . . , S9 and transmit said signals via the status bus 22 to the installation controller 21. Subsequently, the installation controller 21 controls the passenger transport installation 1 in consideration of the received status signals. For this purpose, the installation controller 21 is provided with a program module 20 which processes the data transmitted via the status bus 22 and optionally also directs status queries to the sensors S1, . . . , S9 via the status bus 22. The dashed lines show that the passenger transport installation 1 may also comprise more or fewer bus nodes and sensors.

[0054] The passenger transport installation 1 is controlled via an installation bus 220, which controls simple or smart electrical modules inside the passenger transport installation 1, such as the drive motor 11.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows the geographical position of the sensors S1, . . . , S9 inside the passenger transport installation 1. The sensors S1 and S6 are designed as switches, for example, and monitor the position of cover plates 61, 62 at the access points of the installation. The sensors S2 and S7 are emergency stop buttons, for example. The sensors S3 and S8 monitor the steps 4 and are used, for example, to detect a missing or damaged step 4. The sensor S4 is a temperature sensor, for example, which monitors the temperature of the drive motor 11. The sensors S5 and S9 are proximity sensors, by means of which the approach of a passenger can be detected.

[0056] Below the image of the passenger transport installation 1, it can be seen that the bus nodes 231, . . . , 239 are separated from the sensors S1, . . . , S9 and instead can be connected to the servicing controller 26.

[0057] The bus nodes 231, ..., 239 are provided with plug contacts 24, the sensors S1, . . . , S9 are provided with plug contacts 25 and the servicing controller 26 is provided with plug contacts 260, which make it possible to selectively connect all or individual sensors S1, . . . , S9 or the servicing controller 26 to the free bus nodes 231, . . . , 239. The servicing controller 26 may be designed as a rigid or flexible printed circuit board, for example, which can selectively be connected to the bus nodes 231, . . . , 239.

[0058] In this preferred embodiment, the servicing controller 26 is additionally provided with a user interface 265, by means of which the sensors S1, . . . , S9 to be replaced and the states thereof are selectively chosen and the connected bus nodes 231, . . . , 239 can preferably be controlled individually. For this purpose, the servicing controller 26 generates simulated signals for each of the connected local bus nodes 231, . . . , 239, which signals correspond to the status signals of the replaced sensors S1, . . . , S9 in a selected state.

[0059] In order to program the servicing controller 26, the output signals or status signals of the sensors S1, . . . , S9, which occur in various states during operation of the passenger transport installation 1, are measured and stored. Therefore, preferably all possible states and characteristic curves of the sensors S1, . . . , S9 are stored in the servicing controller 26. Preferably, the installation controller 21 comprises a library in which sensor data are pre-stored. This makes it possible to configure the servicing controller individually. In the event of repair work, it can also be checked, for example, whether or not another sensor stored in the library is more suitable for use in the passenger transport installation 1. For example, the actual sensor S1 is initially replaced by a first imaginary sensor from the library and then by a second imaginary sensor from the library, and then the more suitable sensor is selected.

[0060] It is also possible for a sensor, e.g. a switch, to merely transmit signals via the status bus that were previously sent to said sensor by the installation controller. The servicing controller in this case provides for the behavior of the sensor to also be reproduced in the various states thereof. For example, a switch is provided which interconnects two bus lines if an event occurs.

[0061] After all sensor data have been recorded for the passenger transport installation 1 or the servicing controller 26 has been configured using data from the library, the sensors S1, . . . , S9 can be selected as desired and replaced by the servicing controller 26. In the embodiment in FIG. 1, all sensors S1, . . . , S9 have been replaced by the servicing controller 26.

[0062] The servicing controller 26 can now simulate all sensors S1, . . . , S9 and the different states thereof. For the sensor S4, which is assigned to the drive motor 11, the servicing controller can alter the status signal such that the installation controller 21 identifies overheating and switches off the drive motor 11. By activating the simulated sensors S5 and S9, the approach of a passenger to the person transport installation 1 can be simulated, after which it is checked whether the installation is set in motion according to requirements. By correspondingly activating the sensors S3 and S8, a missing or damaged step 4 can be simulated, and the reaction of the installation controller 21 can be examined. By actuating the sensors S2 and S7, emergency stops can be signaled. By actuating the sensors S1 and S6, which are designed as simple switches, for example, it can be signaled that the covers 61, 62 are correctly in position above the support structure 6 even though they have been removed. By means of the servicing controller 26, the servicing technician can therefore simulate the covers 61, 62 being closed and remove said covers in order to gain access into the support structure 6 without the passenger transport installation 1 being switched off.

[0063] In the same way, an elevator installation comprising a servicing controller 26 according to the invention can be provided. For example, the sensors S1 and S6 are assigned to the elevator doors. The servicing technician can in turn simulate the closed state of the elevator doors and open said doors in order to gain access into the elevator shaft. By means of the sensor S4, elevated temperatures of the motors of the elevator installation can be signaled in order to examine the behavior of the installation. The servicing controller 26 according to the invention is therefore universally applicable.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows the passenger transport installation 1 from FIG. 1 comprising a modular servicing controller 26A, 26B, which comprises a contact module 26A that can be connected to the local bus nodes 231, . . . , 239 and a control module 26B in the form of a tablet computer, by means of which the contact module 26A can be controlled.

[0065] The contact module 26A and the control module 26B are interconnected by means of a wired or wireless transmission channel 27. Preferably, a wireless connection is provided, such that the servicing technician can carry the tablet computer 26B with him and configure the safety system of the control device 2 in any position, as required. The tablet computer 26B preferably has a touchscreen, which serves as the user interface and via which the servicing technician can selectively adjust the states of the selected or replaced sensors S1, . . . , S9.

[0066] The servicing controller 26A, 26B or control module 26B preferably comprises a program module, by means of which the passenger transport installation 1 can be imaged together with the selectable sensors S1, . . . , S9 on the display unit or touchscreen. As shown in FIG. 2, the passenger transport installation 1 can be imaged on the touchscreen, such that the sensors S1, . . . , S9 can be selected at the respective positions in the installation. Alternatively, a list may be displayed in which the sensors S1, . . . , S9 are tabulated.

[0067] Preferably, the passenger transport installation 1 comprising the selectable sensors S1, . . . , S9 and the interactions of the installation modules are imaged on the touchscreen. The servicing technician can therefore compare the behavior of the imaged passenger transport installation 1 with the actual behavior of the passenger transport facility 1 and identify and investigate discrepancies.

[0068] FIG. 2 further shows that the servicing controller 26 or the contact module 26A can be connected to the bus nodes 231, . . . , 239 and to the sensors S1, . . . , S9. In this preferred embodiment, the servicing controller 26 can selectively connect the sensors S1, . . . , S9 to the bus nodes 231, . . . , 239 and separate said sensors from said bus nodes and simulate the replaced sensors S1, . . . , S9. Alternatively, the actual status signals of the sensors S1, . . . , S9 or the simulated status signals of the functional controller 26 can therefore be delivered to the bus nodes 231, . . . , 239. In this way, the sensors S1, . . . , S9 can additionally be checked.

[0069] Since unauthorized interventions in the control device 2 of the passenger transport installation 1 lead to security risks, preferably, the user of the servicing controller 26 or control module 26B must be authenticated. For this purpose, a list of authorized servicing technicians is preferably provided in the control module 26B or in a centralized secure server. The control module 26B and, preferably in parallel therewith, the installation controller 21 are enabled for intervention by means of the authentication of the servicing technician. The authentication can be carried out for example by means of a password or biometric data, such as fingerprint recognition, face recognition, speech recognition, etc.

[0070] FIG. 2 shows that the control module 26B is additionally connected to the installation controller 21 via a wired or wireless communication channel 29 and a centralized bus node 230 and can preferably intervene in said installation controller.

[0071] FIG. 3 shows the passenger transport installation 1 from FIG. 2 comprising a servicing controller 26 that merely comprises the control module 26B or tablet computer 26, which is connected to the central bus node 230. The installation controller 21 is informed of which sensors S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8 are simulated by means of the servicing controller 26 via said bus node 230. The installation controller 21 subsequently blocks communication with the bus nodes 231, 232, 233, 234, 236, 237, 238 (shown with hatching) corresponding to said sensors and takes command from the servicing controller 26 of the simulated signals for the replaced sensors S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8. For example, the states of the replaced sensors S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8 are sequentially queried or transmitted. Furthermore, with every selection of a sensor S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8 to be replaced or with every change in state of a replaced sensor S1, S2, S3, S4, S6, S7, S8, the servicing controller 26 can send a data frame or a telegram to the servicing controller 21 and notify of the configuration change.

[0072] 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.