Remote elevator monitoring system

Claim 2

Apparatus for use with an associated centrally located service office for automatically detecting various elevator system malfunctions whenever they occur in a plurality of operating elevator systems located in a corresponding plurality of remote buildings by continually monitoring discrete elevator system parameter signals indicative of the states of selected parameters in the operating elevator systems, each apparatus installed in each remote building comprising: elevator system monitor means, responsive, both before and after the occurrence of any malfunctions, to the discrete parameter signals associated with its building's elevator system, each having signal processor means including memory means for storing signals including resident signals grouped in equations which predefine combinations of selected discrete parameter signals in specified states and which equations, when satisfied, are each indicative of the occurrence of one of the various elevator system malfunctions which may occur in an operating elevator system, said signal processor means sampling and storing in said memory means successive sampled values of the discrete parameter signals for comparing each present sampled value with a preceding sampled value for detecting a state change therebetween, said signal processor means identifying, in the presence of each such state change, the one or more of said equations that have become satisfied as a result of said state change, said signal processor means providing a message signal for each occurrence of said satisfied equations; and communication element means, responsive to its system's message signals for initiating transmission of said system's message signals to the associated centrally located service office.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each monitor means includes: one or more slave means, each responsive to one or more discrete parameter signals, for providing each discrete signal at a selected position in an associated data frame of a repeating sequence of timed data frames, each selected position in each frame being associated with a particular discrete parameter signal; transmission line means, operatively connected to each of said one or more slave means, responsive to discrete parameter signals in said repeating sequence for transmitting discrete parameter signals in said repeating sequence; and master means, responsive to transmitted discrete parameter signals in said repeating sequence, said master means having signal processor means, including memory means for storing signals, including resident signals grouped in equations which predefine combinations of selected discrete parameter signals in specified states and which equations, when satisfied, are each indicative of one of the various elevator system malfunctions which may occur in a operating elevator system, said signal processor means sampling and storing in said memory means successive values of the discrete parameter signals for comparing each present sampled value with a preceding sampled value for detecting a state change therebetween, said signal processor means identifying, in the presence of each such state change, the one or more of said equations that have become satisified as a result of said state change, said signal processor means providing a message signal for each occurrence of said satisified equations.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said equations defines a combination of discrete parameter signals the first occurrence of which causes said communication element means to immediately initiate an alarm condition message signal transmission indicating that immediate corrective action is required.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said equations defines a combination of discrete parameter signals each occurrence of which causes an associated exceedance count signal value to be incremented in value, wherein the magnitude of said count signal value indicates a performance aspect of the system, and wherein a performance message signal indicative of the magnitude of said count signal value is transmitted periodically by said communication element means.

Claim 6

A monitoring system for automatically detecting various elevator system malfunctions whenever they occur in a plurality of operating elevator systems located in a corresponding plurality of remote buildings by continually monitoring discrete elevator system parameter signals indicative of the states of selected parameters in the operator elevator systems, comprising: elevator system monitoring means, at least one installed in each remote building, responsive, both before and after the occurrence of any malfunctions, to the discrete parameter signals associated with its building's elevator system, each having signal processor means including memory means for storing signals including resident signals grouped in equations which predefine combinations of selected discrete parameter signals in specified states and which equations, when satisfied, are each indicative of the occurrence of one of the various elevator system malfunctions which may occur in an operating elevator system, said signal processor means sampling and storing in said memory means successive sampled values of the discrete parameter signals for comparing each present sampled value with a preceding sampled value for detecting a state change therebetween, said signal processor means identifying, in the presence of each such state change, the one or more of said equations that may have become satisified as a result of said state change, said signal processor means providing a message signal for each occurrence of said satisifed equations; communication element means, at least one installed in each remote building, responsive to its building's system message signals for initiating transmission and providing said system message signals; local service office communication element means, at least one for each of a plurality of local service offices, each responsive to message signals transmitted from at least one of said remote communication element means for providing each message signal received; and display means, at least one for each local service office, responsive to said message signals from said local service office communication element means, for displaying messages identified according to each remote system condition detected.

Claim 7

A monitoring system for automatically detecting various elevator system malfunctions whenever they occur in a plurality of operating elevator systems located in a corresponding plurality of remote buildings by continually monitoring discrete elevator system parameter signals indicative of the states of selected parameters in the operator elevator systems, comprising: elevator system monitoring means, at least one installed in each remote building, responsive, both before and after the occurrence of any malfunctions, to the discrete parameter signals associated with its building's elevator system, each having signal processor means including memory means for storing signals including resident signals grouped in equations which predefine combinations of selected discrete parameter signals in specified states and which equations, when satisfied, are each indicative of the occurrence of one of the various elevator system malfunctions which may occur in an operating elevator system, said signal processor means sampling and storing in said memory means successive sampled values of the discrete parameter signals for comparing each present sampled value with a preceding sampled value for detecting a state change therebetween, said signal processor means identifying, in the presence of each such state change, the one or more of said equations that may have become satisified as a result of said state change, said signal processor means providing a message signal for each occurrence of said satisifed equations; communication element means, at least one installed in each remote building, responsive to its building's system message signals for initiating transmission and providing said system message signals; local service office communication element means, at least one for each of a plurality of local service offices, each responsive to message signals transmitted from at least one of said remote communication element means for providing each message signal received; and display means, at least one for each local service office, responsive to said message signals from said local service office communication element means, for displaying messages identified according to each remote system condition detected.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising: central office communication element means, responsive to said message signals from any one of the plurality of local office communication element means, for providing local office message signals; and central office display means, responsive to local office message signals from said central office communication element means, for displaying messages corresponding to each system condition detected.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising, central office bulk storage means responsive to said message signals from said central office communication element means for storing said message signals.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said monitor means further comprises signal processor means including memory means for storing signals including count signals, each count signal being uniquely associated with one of said parameter signals, each of said count signals being indicative of the total number of occurrences of a selected elevator operation or misoperation as indicated by selected state changes in its associated parameter signal, said signal processor means sampling and storing in said memory means successive sampled values of the discrete parameter signals for comparing each present sampled value with a preceding sampled value for detecting a state change therebetween, said signal processor means identifying and incrementing, in the presence of each such state change, the associated count signal which must be incremented as a result of said state change, said signal processor means periodically providing a message signal indicative of the present count of each of said count signals.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each master means includes signal processor means, including memory means for storing signals including count signals, each count signal being uniquely associated with one of said parameter signals, each of said count signals being indicative of the total number of occurrences of a selected elevator operation or misoperation as indicated by selected state changes in its associated parameter signal, said signal processor means sampling and storing in said memory means successive sampled values of the discrete parameter signals for comparing each present sampled value with a preceeding sampled value for detecting a state change therebetween, said signal processor means identifying and incrementing, in the presence of each such state change, the associated count signal which must be incremented as a result of said state change, said signal processor means periodically providing a message signal indicative of the present count of each of said count signals.