Mobile control unit and method for remotely controlling an elevator installation

1 . A mobile control unit for remotely controlling an elevator installation in an inspection mode, the elevator installation including an elevator car, an elevator controller and a safety circuit, the safety circuit being an electrical series connection including at least one safety element of the elevator installation that blocks the elevator car from moving when the series connection is electrically interrupted, the elevator controller automatically controlling the elevator car movement in a normal mode of the elevator installation when the safety circuit is closed, the mobile control unit comprising:

the mobile control unit adapted to connect to the elevator installation wherein the mobile control unit switches the elevator installation between the normal mode and the inspection mode, wherein the mobile control unit when connected to the elevator installation enables manual control of movement of the elevator car in the inspection mode of the elevator installation; and

the mobile control unit when connected to the elevator installation is assigned as a further safety element to the series connection, wherein the control of movement by the mobile control unit is interrupted when the safety circuit is interrupted.

2 . The mobile control unit according to claim 1 wherein the safety circuit is formed by a wired or wireless bus system and the mobile control unit is connected to the safety circuit as a bus node.

3 . The mobile control unit according to claim 2 wherein the bus system is a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus system.

4 . The mobile control unit according to claim 1 wherein a position of the mobile control unit is determined by the elevator controller.

5 . The mobile control unit according to claim 1 wherein the mobile control unit communicates with a wireless or mobile communication network for connection to the elevator controller.

6 . The mobile control unit according to claim 1 wherein the mobile control unit has a display for displaying information related to the elevator installation.

7 . The mobile control unit according to claim 1 wherein the mobile control unit includes a changeover switch for switching the elevator installation between the normal mode and inspection mode, the changeover switch being at least one of an electromechanical switch, an application software and a user interface menu item.

8 . The mobile control unit according to claim 1 including an emergency shut-off switch for interrupting operation of the elevator installation.

9 . An elevator installation comprising:

an elevator controller;

a safety circuit;

an elevator car wherein the elevator controller automatically controls the elevator car for movement in a normal mode of the elevator installation when the safety circuit is electrically closed; and

a mobile control unit according to claim 1 for controlling the elevator installation in an inspection mode of the elevator installation.

10 . A method for remotely controlling an elevator installation having an elevator controller, an elevator car and a safety circuit, wherein the elevator car is automatically controlled by the elevator controller for movement in a normal mode of the elevator installation when the safety circuit is electrically closed, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a mobile control unit to the elevator installation;

operating the mobile control unit to switch the elevator installation between the normal mode and an inspection mode and manually controlling movement of the elevator car by the mobile control unit in the inspection mode; and

wherein the safety circuit is an electrical series connection of at least one safety element of the elevator installation, the safety circuit blocking the elevator car from moving when the series connection is electrically interrupted, and assigning the mobile control unit as an additional safety element to the series connection such that the connection between the mobile control unit and the elevator installation is interrupted when the safety circuit is interrupted.

11 . The method according to claim 10 wherein the safety circuit is a wired or wireless bus system.

12 . The method according to claim 11 wherein the safety circuit is a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus system.

13 . The method according to claim 10 including determining a position of the mobile control unit by the elevator controller.

14 . The method according to claim 10 including wherein the mobile control unit communicates with a wireless or mobile communication network.

15 . The method according to claim 10 wherein the mobile control unit includes an emergency shut-off switch actuatable for interrupting operation of the elevator installation.