Otis Elevator Company

Christopher P Screven

Bruce P Swaybill

Bertram F Kupersmith

Venkataramana S Pullela

A LAN elevator network includes (a) a pair of redundant car buses for exchanging signals with car control system elements, (b) a pair of redundant group buses for exchanging signals with the redundant car buses through a car-group bridge, and (c) a pair of redundant building buses, which exchange messages with a building controller, through a group-building bridge. Communication among all nodes on the car bus, group bus, and building bus occurs using a single protocol. Each communications element on a bus communicates with the bus using a communications coprocessor including a transmitter and a receiver.

Local area network between an elevator system building controller, group

A touch button switch includes a body (10) having a conductive actuator (28) slidable from one end against a surface (62) to actuate a switch (61) on a board (52) which is held in place by hook latches (53) engaging mortises (55) in the circuit board. The surface (62) may provide conduction from the touch pad to electronic motionless switch circuitry (66) so that the touch button is usable either as a tactile switch touch button, as a motionless touch button, or both. Or, the actuator can be blocked from sliding by means of a spacer (68); and the switch (61) may be replaced by a structure (61a) holding an electrically conductive surface (62a), or not: either way, the touch button will then operate only as a motionless touch button. Or, the surface (62) can be disconnected (65) from the circuit (66), or the circuit (66) can be not installed, to operate only as a tactile switch touch button.

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Torrington, CT, United States of America

Christopher P Screven