LIGHT MODULATION DEVICE OF AN ELEVATOR INSTALLATION AND LIGHT MODULATION TRANSMISSION METHOD

Abstract

A light modulation device is provided in an elevator installation having an elevator car for performing a method of modulating light in the elevator car. The light modulation device has a modulator that receives a first electrical signal from a control unit of the elevator installation, wherein the modulator, in order to modulate the first electrical signal, controls a lighting device in the elevator car having two or more light-emitting diodes. The lighting device generates a first light signal to encode the first electrical signal, and the modulator switches the light-emitting diodes on and off synchronously or asynchronously and/or adjusts their brightness.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A light modulation device of an elevator installation, the elevator installation having an elevator car with a lighting device inside the elevator car, the light modulation device comprising: a modulator receiving a first electrical signal from a control unit of the elevator installation; wherein the lighting device has at least two light-emitting diodes; wherein the modulator modulates the first electrical signal by controlling the lighting device to generate a first light signal representing the first electrical signal encoded, the modulator modulating by synchronously or asynchronously switching the at least two light-emitting diodes on and off and/or by adjusting a brightness of each of the at least two light-emitting diodes.

13. The light modulation device according to claim 12 wherein the control unit of the elevator installation is connected to a local and/or a public communication network.

14. The light modulation device according to claim 12 wherein the light modulation device communicates with a mobile terminal for at least one of the mobile terminal receiving the first light signal and decoding the first electrical signal from the first light signal and the mobile terminal generating a second light signal encoding a second electrical signal.

15. The light modulation device according to claim 14 wherein the light modulation device includes a demodulator that demodulates the second light signal to decode the second electrical signal and forwards the decoded second electrical signal to the control unit of the elevator installation.

16. The light modulation device according to claim 15 wherein the mobile terminal is a robot that at least one of operates the elevator installation by generating the second light signal and navigates in a building in which the elevator installation is located by receiving and responding to the first light signal.

17. An elevator installation comprising: an elevator car; a lighting device inside the elevator car; a control unit; and the light modulation device according to claim 12 connected to the lighting device and the control unit and controlling the lighting device.

18. A method for modulating light in an elevator installation having an elevator car with a lighting device including at least two light-emitting diodes, the method comprising the steps of: generating a first electrical signal by a control unit of the elevator installation; controlling the lighting device to generate a first light signal by modulating the first electrical signal to encode the first electrical signal in the first light signal; and performing the modulating by at least one of synchronously or asynchronously switching the at least two light-emitting diodes on and off and adjusting a brightness of each of the at least two light-emitting diodes.

19. The light modulation method according to claim 18 wherein the control unit is connected to a local and/or a public communication network.

20. The light modulation method according to claim 18 including at least one of: receiving the first light signal with a mobile terminal and decoding the first electrical signal from the first light signal using the mobile terminal; and generating a second light signal from the mobile terminal with a second electrical signal encoded in the second light signal.

21. The light modulation method according to claim 20 including demodulating the second light signal to decode the second electrical signal, and forwarding the decoded second electrical signal to the control unit of the elevator installation.

22. The light modulation method according to claim 21 in wherein the mobile terminal is a robot that at least one of operates the elevator installation by generating the second light signal and navigates in a building in which the elevator installation is located by receiving and responding to the first light signal.

23. An elevator installation comprising: an elevator car; a lighting device inside the elevator car and having at least two light-emitting diodes; a control unit; and a light modulation device connected to the lighting device and the control unit, wherein the light modulation device is controlled by the light modulation method according to claim 18.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1: shows an elevator installation comprising a light modulation device according to the invention and a mobile robot,

[0020] FIG. 2: shows a method for communication between an elevator installation and a mobile robot.

[0021] The drawings are merely schematic and not true to scale. Like reference signs denote like or equivalent features in the various drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] FIG. 1 shows an elevator installation 2 comprising an elevator car 3 that can move in a shaft 13 in a building 11 with several stories or floors (not shown), a lighting device 4 being provided in the elevator car 3. The lighting device 4 consists of a plurality of LEDs 7, which can form one or more LED strips. The elevator installation 2 also has a control unit 6 and a memory unit 12, the control unit 6 being connected to other devices such as servers, service platforms or remote control centers 18 via the Internet 8.

[0023] A light modulation device 1 is provided for the elevator installation 2. The light modulation device 1 comprises a modulator 5, which receives a first electrical signal 16, for example in the form of binary codes, from the control unit 6. The first binary code 16 either can be generated by the control unit 6 itself or can be obtained from the memory unit 12 of the elevator installation 2 or from a server 18 via the Internet 8. The modulator 5 then controls the LEDs 7 of the lighting device 4 in such a way as to modulate the first binary code 16 by the modulator 5 switching the LEDs 7 on and off individually—synchronously or asynchronously. The LEDs 7 then light up accordingly and emit a first light signal 14 according to the first code 16, the light signal having a plurality of light rays. A lit LED represents a binary code “1,” while a non-lit LED represents a binary code “0.”

[0024] Modulation can also be carried out by dimming the LEDs 7, it being possible for different, specific brightnesses of lit LEDs 7 to each represent a digital “1” or “0.” The first code 16 can then be encrypted with light signals by slight changes in the brightness of LEDs. The first code 16 can thus be modulated by the light modulation device 1 and suitably converted into the first light signal 14 by means of the lighting device 4.

[0025] Furthermore, data can be transmitted between the light modulation device 1 and a mobile robot 9 if the robot 9 is equipped with a photoelectric sensor or a digital video camera (not shown). The robot is preferably a mobile vehicle that moves autonomously and communicates with the environment via sensors and interfaces. The photoelectric sensor of the robot 9 can receive the generated first light signal 14 and convert it back into the first code 16. The data transmission can also be bidirectional communication, i.e., a second light signal 15, which is generated by the robot 9 and encodes a second code 17, is also detected and demodulated by a demodulator 10 of the light modulation device 1, as a result of which the second code 17 is decoded again from the second light signal 15. Thereafter, the second code 17 is forwarded to the control unit 6 of the elevator installation, it also being possible for the second code 17 to be a binary code or in another data form. The second code 17 is also stored in the memory unit 12 or forwarded to the server or a remote control center 18 via the Internet 8 if required.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a communication method that takes place between an elevator installation 2 and a robot 9. If an elevator car 3 of the elevator installation 2 stops on a floor, the control unit 6 in a step 20 generates a first binary code 16 which contains information about readiness or a travel request, for example. After a modulation in a step 21, a first light signal 14 is generated in a step 22 by a lighting device 4 in the elevator car 3 according to the first code 16. When the robot 9 enters the elevator car 3, it receives the first light signal 14 in a step 23. The robot 9 retrieves the first code 16 by demodulation in the robot itself in a step 24, as a result of which the robot 9 learns the travel request in a step 25. In response to the travel request, the robot 9 generates a second code 17 in a step 26 and modulates this in a step 27 into a second light signal 15 in a step 28, the second code containing information about a destination input, for example. In contrast to the first light signal 14, the second light signal 15 can optionally be generated by infrared LEDs, as a result of which the light is not visible. After the second light signal 15 has been received in a step 29 and demodulated in a step 30 in the elevator installation 2, the elevator installation 2 can receive the second code 17 in a step 31 or the information contained therein. In response to the second code 17, the elevator installation can in turn generate a further first code 16. This code can, for example, contain information for a so-called “last mile,” which information includes, for example, navigation data, a precise room number and/or a special instruction for the robot 9.

[0027] Since the communication between the elevator installation 2 and the mobile robot 9 requires only imperceptible or invisible light waves as a data transmitter, such communication is more reliable, interference-free and safer than radio technologies such as WiFi. This means that the exchange of customer data can be better protected over the last mile. In this way, the robot 9 can communicate with the elevator installation 2 in a reliable and customer-friendly manner, so that it can operate the elevator installation 2 and move quickly in the building 11. For example, a room map and position data for precise indoor navigation inside the building 11 could be transmitted to the robot 9.

[0028] Of course, the robot 9 can first generate a second code 17, which contains, for example, a travel request or a destination call, without waiting for a first light signal. Analogously to the method explained above, the second code 17 is converted into a second light signal 15, which is picked up and demodulated by the elevator installation 2 so that the second code 17 can be transmitted to the elevator installation 2 and retrieved.

[0029] 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 which 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.

[0030] 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.