METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELEVATOR INSTALLATION BY USING A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED MOBILE DEVICE

Abstract

A method for controlling an elevator installation uses a computer-controlled mobile device. The elevator installation includes an elevator shaft having a plurality of shaft thresholds each assigned to one floor, an elevator car having a car threshold and is moveable along the elevator shaft, and a control unit for moving the elevator car. The mobile device has an evaluation unit that communicates with the control unit. Information generated using at least one component of the mobile device as a result of a height deviation between the car threshold and a shaft threshold located opposite the car threshold is received in the evaluation unit, is then evaluated and control information for moving the elevator car is generated. The control information is sent to the control unit to move the elevator car such that the height deviation between the car threshold and the shaft threshold is minimized.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A method for controlling an elevator installation using a computer-controlled mobile device, wherein the elevator installation includes an elevator shaft having multiple shaft thresholds, each of the shaft thresholds being at an associated one of multiple floors spaced along the elevator shaft, an elevator car having a car threshold and being moveable along the elevator shaft, and a control unit for moving the elevator car between the shaft thresholds, wherein the mobile device has an evaluation unit that is adapted to communicate with the control unit, the method comprising the steps of: receiving in the evaluation unit information generated using at least one component of the mobile device, the information resulting from a height deviation between the car threshold and a current shaft threshold located opposite the car threshold, the current shaft threshold being one of the shaft thresholds in the elevator shaft, wherein the information includes a control command for controlling the elevator installation generated from an input to the mobile device by a user; evaluating by the evaluation unit the information received and generating control information for moving the elevator car; and sending the control information from the mobile device to the control unit wherein the control unit moves the elevator car in response to the control information such that the height deviation between the car threshold and the current shaft threshold is minimized.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the mobile device includes an inclination sensor, wherein the information includes sensor data generated by the inclination sensor in a position of the mobile device with the mobile device resting on the car threshold and on the current shaft threshold at an inclination angle which dependent on the height deviation between the car threshold and the current shaft threshold, and wherein the control information includes height deviation information determined based on the sensor data.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the height deviation information indicates a direction, and wherein the control unit is adapted to move the elevator car in the direction or opposite the direction based on the height deviation information to minimize the height deviation between the car threshold and the current shaft threshold.

16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the sensor data are evaluated together with a predetermined target value range for the inclination angle, wherein a termination command for terminating the movement of the elevator car is generated by the evaluation unit and sent to the control unit when the inclination angle is within the target value range.

17. The method according to claim 13 wherein the mobile device runs an application and includes at least one of a first interface for generating a first input representing an upward movement and a second interface for generating a second input representing a downward movement to the application, and wherein the application operates the mobile device to generate and send to the control unit a first control command to move the elevator car upward when the first input is made via the first interface and to generate and send to the control unit a second control command to move the elevator car downward when the second input is made via the second interface.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the first control command and the second control command each specify at least one of a movement path, a movement direction, a movement duration and a movement speed of the elevator car.

19. The method according to claim 13 wherein the control information includes floor information relating to a one of the floors associated with the current shaft threshold.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the mobile device includes a height sensor, wherein the information includes further sensor data generated by the height sensor, and wherein the floor information is generated based on the further sensor data.

21. An evaluation unit adapted to perform the control method according to claim 13.

22. An elevator installation comprising: an elevator shaft having a plurality of shaft thresholds, each of the shaft thresholds being associated with a different floor of multiple floors spaced along the elevator shaft; an elevator car having a car threshold and being moveable along the elevator shaft; a control unit for controlling movement of the elevator car between the shaft thresholds; and wherein the control unit is adapted to communicate with the evaluation unit according to claim 21.

23. A computer program product having computer-readable instructions which, when executed on a computer-controlled mobile device, instruct the device to carry out the method according to claim 13.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which the computer program product according to claim 23 is stored.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG. 1 shows an elevator installation and a computer-controlled mobile device for carrying out a method according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows an elevator installation and a computer-controlled mobile device for carrying out a method according to a further embodiment of the invention.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a computer-controlled mobile device with an evaluation unit according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a flow chart for a method according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0051] The drawings are merely schematic and not to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] FIG. 1 shows an elevator installation 100 and a computer-controlled mobile device 102 for carrying out a method according to one embodiment of the invention. The elevator installation 100 comprises an elevator car 104 which can be moved in an elevator shaft 106. The elevator shaft 106 is indicated schematically here by a wall with a shaft opening 108 which allows access to the elevator car 104, for example from a floor of a building. In reality, the elevator shaft 106 can have a plurality of such shaft openings 108 depending on the number of floors in the building. The elevator car 104 is in a stopping position opposite the shaft opening 108. A car threshold 110 of the elevator car 104 is slightly vertically offset from a shaft threshold 112 of the shaft opening 108, i.e. there is a height deviation 114 between the car threshold 110 and the shaft threshold 112, which is represented as a small step between the elevator car 104 and a floor 116 of the relevant floor in the building. The car threshold 110 and the shaft threshold 112 are in each case a door threshold in particular. By way of example, in FIG. 1 the car threshold 110 is located above the shaft threshold 112.

[0053] In the elevator car 104 there is a technician 118, for example a commissioning engineer, who travels from floor to floor for fine adjustment of the individual stopping positions of the elevator car 104 at the respective shaft openings 108. For this purpose, the technician 118 uses the mobile device 102, which in this example is their personal service smartphone. The mobile device 102 is designed to communicate with a control unit 120 of the elevator installation 100. In particular, this communication takes place via a wireless data connection by means of cellular radio, WLAN and/or Bluetooth, as shown in FIG. 1. A special application for controlling the elevator installation 100 runs on the mobile device 102.

[0054] According to this embodiment, the application is configured with a first interface 122 and a second interface 124 for processing inputs from the technician 118. The two interfaces 122, 124 are designed here as separate touch-sensitive buttons that can be actuated by touching a touch-sensitive screen 125 of the mobile device 102. The mobile device 102 is designed to generate a first control command 126 when the button of the first interface 122 labeled “Up” is touched, and a second control command 128 when the button of the second interface 124 labeled “Down” is touched. The control commands 126, 128 are sent wirelessly from the mobile device 102 to the control unit 120, which is designed to move the elevator car 104 upward when receiving the first control command 126 or downward when receiving the second control command 128. In this example, the technician 118 expediently actuates the button of the second interface 124 in order to move the elevator car 104 downward in accordance with the height deviation 114 so that the car threshold 110 is approximately at the same height as the shaft threshold 112. The mobile device 102 or the application running on it thus functions as a type of remote control for the control unit 120.

[0055] Depending on the configuration of the application, in addition to the movement direction, the technician 118 can input further information relating to the control of the elevator car 104 into the mobile device 102, in particular values relating to a movement speed, a movement duration or a movement path of the elevator car 104. These values are sent to the control unit 120 analogously to the control commands 126, 128 and are further processed by the unit in a suitable manner in order to control the elevator car 104. Depending on the requirement for an accuracy with which the car threshold 110 is to be positioned in the vertical direction with respect to the shaft threshold 112, the technician 118 can move the elevator car 104 for example very slowly by means of a corresponding input in the application in order to reduce the height deviation 114 to a target value range of a few millimeters, such as from 0 to a maximum of 2 mm.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows the elevator installation 100 and the computer-controlled mobile device 102 according to a further embodiment of the invention. The situation shown is the same as in FIG. 1, with the difference being that a sensor system integrated in the mobile device 102 is used here to detect the height deviation 114 or to control the elevator car 104. The height deviation 114 is thus not detected here by the technician 118 themselves, for example by measuring or simply seeing the height deviation 114, but is detected in an automated manner by means of the mobile device 102 or the application running on it which is specially programmed for this purpose.

[0057] According to this embodiment, the mobile device 102 is designed to measure its inclination. This can advantageously be used to detect the height deviation 114. For this purpose, the technician 118 (not shown) positions the mobile device 102 on the one hand on the car threshold 110, and on the other hand on the shaft threshold 112, so that the mobile device 102 has an inclination which corresponds to the height deviation 114 and is measured as an inclination angle by the sensor system of the mobile device 102. Based on the inclination angle, the mobile device 102, more precisely the application running on it for controlling the control unit 120, calculates height deviation information 200 that indicates the height deviation 114. Depending on the design, the height deviation information 200 includes an absolute value of the height deviation 114 or, alternatively or in addition, directional information that only indicates a direction of the height deviation 114, i.e. for example whether the car threshold 110, as shown in FIG. 2, is offset positively, i.e. upward relative to the shaft threshold 112, or negatively, i.e. downward relative to the shaft threshold 112.

[0058] The mobile device 102 then sends the height deviation information 200 to the control unit 120, which is designed to evaluate the height deviation information 200 and to move the elevator car 104 up or down depending on the result of this evaluation. In FIG. 2, the height deviation information 200 indicates the positive offset of the car threshold 110 relative to the shaft threshold 112. Accordingly, the control unit 120 moves the elevator car 104 downward in a direction opposite to this positive offset.

[0059] If, on the other hand, the height deviation information 200 includes an absolute length value, calculated from the inclination angle, with regard to the height deviation 114, then this length value can be used by the control unit 120 to determine a corresponding movement path of the elevator car 104. In this case, the control unit 120 moves the elevator car 104 on the basis of the height deviation information 200 for example until the inclination angle measured by the mobile device 102 or the length value calculated from the inclination angle is within a target value range that specifies an accuracy to be achieved in the fine adjustment of the elevator car 104.

[0060] When the target value range is reached, according to one embodiment, the mobile device 102 automatically sends a termination command 202 to the control unit 120 in order to terminate the movement. For example, with such an automatic termination of the movement, the new stopping position of the elevator car 104 is automatically stored in the control unit 120.

[0061] It is also advantageous if the mobile device 102 additionally sends floor information 204 to the control unit 120, which informs the control unit 120 of the floor on which the elevator car 104 is currently located. Similarly to the height deviation 114, the floor information 204 can also be determined by means of the sensor system of the mobile device 102, for example by means of an integrated barometer or an integrated GPS sensor. This allows e.g. an automatic assignment of the height deviation information 200 to the relevant current floor.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows the computer-controlled mobile device 102 with an evaluation unit 300 which is designed to carry out a method according to one embodiment of the invention. The evaluation unit 300 is used in particular to carry out the application as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0063] According to this embodiment, the mobile device 102 has, on the one hand, an inclination sensor 302 for measuring the inclination angle of the mobile device 102 and, on the other hand, a height sensor 304 for measuring a height of the mobile device 102. The inclination sensor 302 and the height sensor 304, which are components of the sensor system of the mobile device 102 mentioned in the context of FIGS. 1 and 2, are each coupled to the evaluation unit 300, so that the inclination sensor 302 can send sensor data 306 relating to a measured inclination angle and the height sensor 304 can send further sensor data 308 relating to a measured height to the evaluation unit 300. The evaluation unit 300 is designed to generate the height deviation information 200 on the basis of the sensor data 306 and send it to the control unit 120. It is also possible for the evaluation unit 300 to forward the sensor data 306 directly to the control unit 120 for further processing. Additionally or alternatively, the evaluation unit 300 is designed to generate the floor information 204 on the basis of the further sensor data 308 and send it to the control unit 120. Here, too, it is conceivable that the evaluation unit 300 merely forwards the further sensor data 308 to the control unit 120, instead of the floor information 204, so that the unit can determine the corresponding floor from the further sensor data 308.

[0064] In addition, the evaluation unit 300 is coupled to the touch-sensitive screen 125 via an input processing unit 310. The input processing unit 310 is designed to convert the inputs by the technician 118 into corresponding input data 312 that can be evaluated by the evaluation unit 300.

[0065] On the basis of these data 306, 308, 312, the evaluation unit 300 generates control information 314 which is suitable for processing by the control unit 120. Depending on the design, the control information 314 includes, as already described, e.g. the control commands 126, 128, the termination command 202, the height deviation information 200 and/or the floor information 204. Additionally or alternatively, the control information 314 includes the sensor data 306, the further sensor data 308 and/or the input data 312 for external processing by the control unit 120.

[0066] FIG. 4 shows a flow chart for a method 400 according to one embodiment of the invention. The method 400 can be carried out for example with the elevator installation 100 and the mobile device 102 as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0067] The method 400 comprises a first step 410, in which information, for example the input information 312, the sensor data 306 and/or the further sensor data 308, i.e. information that is generated as a result of the height deviation 114 by means of one or more components of the mobile device 102, for example by means of the screen 125, the inclination sensor 302 and/or the height sensor 304, is received in the evaluation unit 300.

[0068] The evaluation unit 300 then evaluates this information in a second step 420 in a corresponding manner in order to generate the control information 314.

[0069] Finally, in a third step 430, the evaluation unit 300 sends the control information 314 to the control unit 120 so that it can move the elevator car 104 up or down in a corresponding manner using the control information 314 to minimize the height deviation 114.

[0070] In addition and partly with a choice of words deviating from the wording previously used, possible properties, details and/or advantages of embodiments of the invention can be described as follows.

[0071] In particular, a cellphone having a corresponding application is used as the mobile device 102 for precise adjustment of a car floor comprising the car threshold 110 when commissioning the elevator installation 100. The technician 118 travels with the elevator car 104 from floor to floor and places the cellphone 102 in each case over the car threshold 110, for example a door threshold of the elevator car 104, and a current shaft threshold 112, for example a door threshold of a current floor. Inclination sensors 302 in the cellphone 102 then measure an inclination and calculate a deviation between a car position and a floor position. This deviation is sent together with a current floor position via a wireless communication link such as WLAN or Bluetooth to an elevator controller in the form of the control unit 120, which adjusts the car position accordingly.

[0072] As an alternative or in addition to an automatic adjustment of the elevator car 104 by the control unit 120, the technician 118 can also for example tap a corresponding button in the commissioning application themselves, for example in the form of an up or down button, in order to correct the deviation between the car position and the floor position. The application sends this input information, also referred to as input data 312 above, together with the current floor position via the wireless communication link to the control unit 120, which adjusts the car position in accordance with the input information.

[0073] As already mentioned, the technician 118 would normally have traveled from floor to floor with the elevator car 104, measured the deviation between the car and floor position with a tape measure, and noted the measurement values. After measuring all floors, he would have input the noted measurement values into the elevator controller via a user interface. Under certain circumstances, a further test run would have been necessary.

[0074] In contrast, the approach presented here offers the advantage whereby manual measurement and input of measurement values via a user interface can be dispensed with. This avoids errors when measuring or inputting. Instead, the floor positions are stored in the application of the cellphone 102 and are sent to the control unit 120 together with the deviation measurement values detected by sensors. The resulting adjustment of the car can be observed directly by the technician 118. This means that commissioning is much faster and less prone to error.

[0075] In a first variant, the cellphone 102 is placed at a transition between the thresholds of the car door and the floor door in order to measure an inclination angle of the cellphone 102 by means of the inclination sensor 302 integrated in the cellphone 102. The height deviation 114 between the two thresholds 110, 112 is then calculated on the basis of the inclination angle.

[0076] The calculated height deviation 114 is then transmitted to the control unit 120. The control unit 120 moves the elevator car 104 on the basis of the height deviation 114, for example until the cellphone 102 is in a horizontal position, i.e. an inclination of approximately 0 degrees is calculated.

[0077] In a second variant, the elevator car 104 is controlled by the application, more precisely by the technician 118, who specifies to the control unit 120, via a corresponding input in the application, how far and in which direction the elevator car 104 should be moved so that the two thresholds 110, 112 are aligned with one another. The mobile phone 102 communicates directly with the control unit 120, for example via WLAN or Bluetooth. Communication via a cloud is also conceivable.

[0078] It is also possible for the cellphone 102 to independently determine a current floor position and to transmit this height information, also referred to above as floor information 204, to the control unit 120.

[0079] For example, the cellphone 102 may also automatically provide feedback as soon as it is in the horizontal position, which indicates that the measurement is complete.

[0080] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “comprising,” “having,” etc. do not preclude other elements or steps, and terms such as “a” or “an” do not preclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

[0081] 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.