IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,827,238
Granted Patent B2
US 10,827,238 · App. 16/426,176 · Granted Nov 3, 2020

Elevator door sensor integrated with a long range communication gateway

Inventors: Tadeusz Pawel Witczak (Farmington, CT); Craig Drew Bogli (Avon, CT); Stella M. Oggianu (Farmington, CT)
Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
H04Q9/00B66B1/3461B66B5/0025B66B13/00B66B25/006H04Q2209/40H04Q2209/823
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,827,238
App. No.
16/426,176
Granted
Nov 3, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sensing apparatus for monitoring a conveyance system is provided. The sensing apparatus includes: a controller; at least one sensor in communication with the controller, the at least one sensors configured to detect sensor data of the conveyance system and communicate the sensor data to the controller; and a long-range communication module in communication with the controller, the long-range communication module being configured to transmit the sensor data to a remote system through a wireless network via long-range wireless communication protocol, wherein the long-range communication module is located within the sensing apparatus.

Claims (31)

1. A sensing apparatus for monitoring an elevator system comprising an elevator car, the sensing apparatus comprising:

a controller, the controller comprising: a processor and a memory;

at least one sensor in communication with the controller, the at least one sensors configured to detect sensor data of the elevator system and communicate the sensor data to the controller; and

a long-range communication module in communication with the controller, the long-range communication module being configured to transmit the sensor data to a remote system through a wireless network via long-range wireless communication protocol,

wherein the long-range communication module is located within the sensing apparatus,

wherein the long-range communication module is configured to detect a network signal strength of the wireless network, the network signal strength varying along a hoistway of the elevator system, and

wherein the long-range communication module is configured to store the sensor data within the memory of the control until the network signal strength of the wireless network is greater than a threshold and then transmit the sensor data to a remote system through the wireless network when the network signal strength of the wireless network is greater than a threshold.

2. The sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensing apparatus is configured to be attached to a door of the elevator car of the elevator system.

3. The sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensing apparatus is configured to be attached to a door hanger of a door of the elevator car of the elevator system.

4. The sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to process the sensor data prior to the long-range communication module transmitting the sensor data to the remote system through a wireless network via long-range wireless communication protocol.

5. The sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the long-range communication module is configured to transmit sensor data that is unprocessed to the remote system through a wireless network via long-range wireless communication protocol.

6. A sensing system for monitoring an elevator system, the sensing system comprising:

an elevator car of the elevator system; and

a sensing apparatus attached to the elevator car, the sensing apparatus comprising:

a controller, the controller comprising: a processor and a memory;

at least one sensor in communication with the controller, the at least one sensor configured to detect sensor data of the elevator system and communicate the sensor data to the controller; and

a long-range communication module in communication with the controller, the long-range communication module being configured to transmit the sensor data to a remote system through a wireless network via long-range wireless communication protocol,

wherein the long-range communication module is located within the sensing apparatus,

wherein the long-range communication module is configured to detect a network signal strength of the wireless network, the network signal strength varying along a hoistway of the elevator system, and

wherein the long-range communication module is configured to store the sensor data within the memory of the control until the network signal strength of the wireless network is greater than a threshold and then transmit the sensor data to a remote system through the wireless network when the network signal strength of the wireless network is greater than a threshold.

7. The sensing system of claim 6 , wherein the sensing apparatus is attached to a door of the elevator car of the elevator system.

8. The sensing system of claim 6 , wherein the sensing apparatus is attached to a door hanger of a door of the elevator car of the elevator system.

9. The sensing system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a power source configured to provide electrical power to the sensing apparatus, wherein the power source is configured to generate power for the sensing apparatus.

10. The sensing system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to process the sensor data prior to the long-range communication module transmitting the sensor data to the remote system through a wireless network via long-range wireless communication protocol.

11. The sensing system of claim 6 , wherein the long-range communication module is configured to transmit sensor data that is unprocessed to the remote system through a wireless network via long-range wireless communication protocol.

12. A method for data transfer in an elevator system comprising an elevator car, the method comprising:

collecting sensor data of the elevator system using at least one sensor of a sensing apparatus attached to the elevator car of the elevator system;

detecting a network signal strength of the wireless network via long-range wireless protocol using the long-range communication module, the network signal strength varying along a hoistway of the elevator system;

storing the sensor data in a memory of the sensing apparatus until the network signal strength of the wireless network is greater than a threshold;

transmitting the sensor data to a remote system through a network via a long-range wireless protocol when the network signal strength of the wireless network is greater than a threshold using a long-range communication module located internal to the sensing apparatus.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2019
From: WITCZAK, TADEUSZ PAWEL; BOGLI, CRAIG DREW; OGGIANU, STELLA M.
To: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
Reel/Frame 049318/0813 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62677897 · May 30, 2018
Related Publication 20190373341A1 · Dec 5, 2019