Kone Corporation

Ari Koivisto

Mikko Mattila

Mikko Piironen

Santtu Koskinen

Mikko Heiskanen

Anssi Rantamäki

Ari Hänninen

Jere Vuorenala

Tapio Tyni

Mikko Puranen

Tuukka Korhonen

Pasi Raassina

Niko Elomaa

Markku Haivala

Jouni Ratia

Ilpo Haipus

Tommi Huotari

Mika Belov

Hannu Nousu

Henry Silvennoinen

Juuso Auvinen

Ari HÄNNINEN

Markku HÄIVÄLÄ

A method for operating, such as commissioning, an elevator, and an elevator are presented herein. The elevator comprises an electric linear motor for moving movable units. The method comprises moving a first movable unit along a linear stator of the electric linear motor in the elevator shaft, and determining at least one characteristic, such as a floor position or an air gap width of the electric linear motor, at a plurality of elevator shaft positions by the first movable unit, such as by a winding, a coil, or a sensor, during the moving. The method further comprises storing the determined at least one characteristic, and controlling moving of at least a second movable unit, such as comprising another of the elevator cars or a second motor unit, by utilizing the stored at least one characteristic.

Method for operating an elevator and elevator

An elevator system includes a plurality of elevator cars, an elevator controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of elevator cars. The elevator controller is configured to generate a signal to a first elevator car for indicating an elevator call to the first elevator car. The first elevator car is configured to, in response to a receipt of the signal, initiate a communication with at least one second elevator car for receiving information relating to a status of the at least one second elevator car, and in response to a receipt of the information, generate a control signal with respect to serving the elevator call received by the first elevator car. A method for controlling an elevator car in the elevator system is also disclosed.

Communication solution for an elevator system

A method remotely recovers at least one peripheral device of a people conveyor system. The method includes controlling at least one network element, into which the at least one peripheral device is connected, to control power supply of the at least one peripheral device to remotely recover the at least one peripheral device. The invention relates also to a remote monitoring unit and a remote monitoring system for remotely recovering at least one peripheral device of a people conveyor system.

Method, a remote monitoring unit, and a remote monitoring system for remotely recovering at least one peripheral device of a people conveyor system

A commissioning arrangement for elevator and escalator network devices is disclosed. When the elevator network devices are connected to the elevator network they first get a unique communication address from another network element that is typically a network switch located higher in the chain of network switches. Then, using the established communication address, the network element contacts an automatic commissioning service for acquiring network configuration settings.

Automatic commissioning for an elevator signalization network device

According to an aspect, there are provided a mobile device for wireless people flow management. The mobile device comprises at least one processor; at least one memory; and a near field communication, NFC, reader; wherein the at least one memory comprises program code which, when executed on the at least one processor causes the mobile device to receive, from the NFC reader, information encoded in an NFC tag associated with a specific location in a building; determine control information to trigger at least one state change associated with the location based on the information encoded to the NFC tag; and send the control information to a control system of the building.

Mobile device with processor for communication with NFC reader

Commissioning of a transportation infrastructure peripheral device in a transportation infrastructure control network is disclosed. In the arrangement a peripheral device is attached to a transportation infrastructure control network through a network element or directly to a controller. When the connection has been made, a process for identifying and granting appropriate access rights is initiated. As a result, common network technologies can be used for transmitting information that is critical for elevator operation.

Network commissioning of transportation infrastructure peripheral devices

Transportation infrastructure service discovery arrangement disclosed. In the arrangement a peripheral device is attached to a transportation infrastructure control network. The client is configured to request an address from a DNS server of the host network. As a response the client receives network settings that can be used for contacting applications attached to the transportation infrastructure control network.

Transportation infrastructure service discovery arrangement

A method including receiving, from a device management element or function of at least one transport and/or access device or function installed at a predefined location for which a local control is to be conducted, and storing device or function related data, forwarding the stored device or function related data to a centralized control element or function, receiving, from the centralized control element or function, and processing instruction data for the at least one transport and/or access device or function, and conducting a local device or function management control procedure for the at least one transport and/or access device or function according to a result of the processing of the instruction data.

Device management system

The invention refers to an elevator system having a plurality of elevator cars, which elevator cars comprise several first cars and at least one second car, which second car differs from the first cars in its size and/or technical configuration, whereby the first cars and the second car run together within one and the same elevator shaft, which elevator system comprises an elevator control comprising a call allocation control having a first part connected to at least one call input device for allocating the first elevator cars and a second part connected to at least one call issuing means for the call allocation of the second car, whereby the first and second part of the call allocation control are configured to work independently of each other.

Elevator system accommodating elevator cars having different sizes

A multicar elevator system includes a group of individually drivable elevator cars and two shafts coupled to each other with at least two transfer channels. The system further includes a control unit configured to operate the system in either of two operating modes, wherein in the first mode the group of elevator cars is arranged to travel to a first vertical direction in the first shaft and to another vertical direction in the second shaft through the transfer channels. In the second mode, a first sub-group of elevator cars are parked in one of the shafts and at least one elevator car belonging to a second sub-group of elevator cars is arranged to travel in the both vertical directions in the other shaft upon a call.

Adjustable multicar elevator system

The present invention relates to a method for initiating a data connection between a central server and a control unit communicatively coupled to an elevator, escalator or autowalk. The method comprises: receiving a trigger signal from the central server, wherein the trigger signal is delivered with a service of a mobile communication network into which the control unit is communicatively coupled to; detecting if the trigger signal complies with at least one pre-defined requirement; and in response to a positive outcome of the detection initiating a data connection establishment from the control unit to the central server. The invention also relates to a control unit for an elevator, escalator or autowalk.

Connection establishment in elevator system, escalator system or autowalk system

An apparatus for displacing an elevator car from its pathway includes a rotational vehicle configured to rotate around an axis of rotation and at least one guide rail section mounted with the rotational vehicle along, which at least one guide rail section the at least one elevator car is arranged to travel. The at least one guide rail section is mounted substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotational vehicle. The rotational vehicle is configured to rotate 90 degrees. An elevator system is also disclosed.

Solution for displacing an elevator car

Modern elevators are computer controlled and a computer program sending service requests to an elevator system may be implemented in a mobile device. An API-manager is used in a mobile device for providing a common programming interface for all elevator related applications in the mobile device. The API-manager has a certificate that is used for identifying the person using the mobile device. Thus, it is possible to execute service requests that require authorization or access rights. When the identification is provided at the API-manager third party applications executed in the mobile device do not need own certificates. Furthermore, as the API-manager has a certificate service requests can be trusted also when the mobile application is provided by a third party.

Growing community of inventors

Helsinki, Finland

Ari Koivisto