Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Richard H Ludwig

Alan L Husson

Wing C Quan

Linus R Dirnberger

Marjorie J Polis

Matthew Martin

Jeffrey W Blain

Joanne E Mikhail

An elevator control system with a local area network on the traveling cable and distributed control circuit safeguard for loss of remote microprocessor control with a car door open when floor releveling distance exceeds the landing zone limit. The elevator control circuit is interactive with the car driving apparatus and with the car door circuit so that when the driving apparatus for the car is leveling the car for passenger load weight gain or loss, the car door is signaled to remain open in the zone of the target floor so long as the distance that the car moves is within the elevator safety code requirements. A time delay relay interfaced with an output channel circuit of the microprocessor times out to stop car driving apparatus if the distance limit is exceeded.

Elevator system leveling safeguard control and method

An elevator system, and method of operating same, in which the existence of a stuck call button is detected, the call initiated by a stuck call button is prevented from interfering with elevator service to the remaining floors, and predetermined or reduced partial service is provided to the floor associated with the stuck pushbutton while the stuck button problem persists.

Elevator system

An elevator system, and method of operating same, having a plurality of elevator cars for serving hall calls registered from the floors of a building. All of the up and down service directions from the floors are continuously assigned to the elevator cars, whether or not they have an active registered hall call associated therewith, with the assignments being made according to predetermined averages which uniformly spread the actual and prospective work loads among the elevator cars. The hall calls are timed. A timed-out call, i.e., a call registered for a predetermined period of time, is given preferential treatment, without significantly disturbing service to other registered hall calls, by assigning the floor and service direction associated with the timed-out call to an additional car which is not already assigned to a timed-out call. The additional car is selected on the basis of its having the lightest work load schedule of all of the elevator cars conditioned to serve the timed-out call.

An elevator system in which a count is maintained to enable a car to be leveled in the correct travel direction in the event the car stops outside the landing zone of a target floor. The count is incremented each time the advanced car position changes floors, and it is decremented each time the car is level with a floor during the run. If the car lands outside the landing zone, a zero count indicates the car overshot the floor, while a non-zero count indicates undershoot. The count, along with the travel direction of the run, which is stored in memory, thus determines the leveling direction to level the car with the target floor.

A method of reinitializing an elevator system upon the return to service of an elevator car following the occurrence of an event which could result in the car stopping in the hatch without regard to floor level. The method includes the steps of determining if the elevator car is within a predetermined small distance from any floor, and if it is, the advanced car position is set to that floor. If the elevator car is not within this predetermined distance from a floor, the advanced car position is set to the closest floor in a predetermined travel direction, such as the travel direction of the car at the time of the event which terminated normal operation. The car is then moved to a predetermined floor, which is the floor of the advanced car position when there are no registered hall calls, and the floor of a predetermined car call, or hall call, where there is a registered call.

An elevator system having a notching floor selector which is notched or advanced by notching signals developed as the elevator car moves through the hoistway, to cause the selector to store information relative to the actual position of the elevator car. The notching signals also actuate first and second counters, one of which operates a non-volatile memory. The memory count is compared with the count on the remaining counter, and when they are not equal a reset operation is initiated which includes resetting the notching floor selector and counters to represent a predetermined terminal floor, and the generation of auxiliary notching signals, all without moving the elevator car. When the memory and counter have the same count, the auxiliary notching signals are terminated, and the floor selector system is back in synchronism with the actual position of the elevator car.

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West Caldwell, NJ, United States of America

Richard H Ludwig