Multi-car elevator system

Abstract

The car (130) and elevator shaft system comprises a plurality of elevator components; a controller (140); the multi-car elevator system further comprises an elevator maintenance system (160) configured to: receive (210) measurement data; determine (220) an operational condition of a respective elevator component; and generate (230) a maintenance signal for at least one elevator component, the maintenance being scheduled in advance of a failure of the respective at least one elevator component in dependence on the operational condition of the respective at least one elevator component. The invention also relates to a method and a computer program product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the technical field of elevators. More specifically, this invention relates to multi-car elevator systems. Background Technology

[0002] In a multi-car elevator system, multiple elevator cars are adapted to move sequentially along a common circulation path in the same circulation direction. The cars move upwards along a first shaft and downwards along a parallel second shaft. Transfers from one shaft to another are carried out horizontally via transfer stations located at the top and bottom ends of the shafts. In some embodiments, the propulsion force for the cars is provided by linear motors. Each elevator car may have a mover that interacts with a common stator beam, making each elevator car individually controllable.

[0003] Continuous cyclical movement along a common trajectory means that a single car malfunction could block the entire elevator system, as it is impossible to bypass the affected car. This implies that such multi-car elevator systems are highly susceptible to operational malfunctions.

[0004] Document EP3124419A1 discloses a solution to the above situation. Specifically, this document describes a maintenance car that can be used to repair a malfunctioning elevator car or tow a malfunctioning car away from a blocked position. However, this method also requires the elevator system to travel downwards until the blocked elevator car is removed from the travel path.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need to introduce solutions that help reduce downtime in multi-car elevator systems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To provide a basic understanding of some aspects of various embodiments of the invention, a simplified overview is presented below. This overview is not a broad summary of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or defining elements of the invention nor to depict its scope. The following overview presents only some concepts of the invention in a simplified form, serving as a prelude to a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide an elevator system, a method, and a computer program for maintaining an elevator system.

[0008] The object of the present invention is achieved by the elevator system, method and computer program defined by the individual claims.

[0009] According to a first aspect, a multi-car elevator system is provided, comprising: a plurality of independently controllable elevator cars; an elevator shaft system having at least two vertical shafts and at least two transfer stations, thereby forming a common circulation path for the plurality of elevator cars; the plurality of elevator cars and the elevator shaft system including a plurality of elevator components, at least some of which are equipped with at least one sensor adapted to generate measurement data representing the operating status of a corresponding elevator component; a controller communicatively connected at least to the elevator components equipped with the sensors for receiving the measurement data; the multi-car elevator system further comprising: an elevator maintenance system configured to: receive the measurement data; determine the operating status of a corresponding elevator component based on the received measurement data; and generate a maintenance signal carrying maintenance data for performing maintenance on at least one elevator component, scheduling maintenance according to the operating status of the corresponding at least one elevator component before a failure occurs in the at least one elevator component.

[0010] Preferably, at least some of the elevator components of the elevator car and elevator shaft system are equipped with at least one sensor, which is adapted to generate measurement data representing the operating status of the respective elevator component.

[0011] Elevator maintenance systems can be located away from the positions where multiple elevator cars are arranged for operation.

[0012] For example, an elevator maintenance system can be arranged to communicatively connect to a maintenance operator entity to transmit at least a portion of maintenance data.

[0013] Furthermore, a separately controllable elevator car and elevator shaft system can be implemented in a multi-car elevator system, enabling the implementation of a primary linear motor in the elevator shaft system and a secondary linear motor in the separately controllable elevator car.

[0014] Each of the at least two transfer stations may include a horizontal shaft section for the horizontal movement of an individually controllable elevator car from one vertical shaft to another.

[0015] Furthermore, the elevator shaft system may include at least one maintenance space located outside the common circulation path to which individually controllable elevator cars are arranged to travel; and wherein a controller is configured to generate control signals to at least one elevator car for accessing the maintenance space based on data included in the maintenance signals.

[0016] The controller of the multi-car elevator system can be configured to operate the multi-car elevator system in one of the following operating modes: a first operating mode in which individually controllable elevator cars are arranged to move in a continuous loop path; a second operating mode in which the movement of at least one individually controllable elevator car deviates from the loop movement along the loop path; and wherein the elevator maintenance system is configured to schedule at least one maintenance task indicated in a maintenance signal to the second operating mode.

[0017] The maintenance signal may include data defining the time of maintenance. Alternatively or additionally, the maintenance signal may include data identifying at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance. Alternatively or additionally, the maintenance signal may include data indicating the location of at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance. Alternatively or additionally, the maintenance signal may include data defining the state of at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance. Alternatively or additionally, the maintenance signal may include data for on-site identification of at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance. Alternatively or additionally, the maintenance signal may include data instructing tool and / or software updates for maintaining at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance.

[0018] In addition, the elevator maintenance system is integrated into multiple multi-car elevator systems located in different geographical locations to generate maintenance signals for multiple multi-car elevator systems.

[0019] According to a second aspect, a method is provided for performing maintenance on a multi-car elevator system, the multi-car elevator system comprising: a plurality of independently controllable elevator cars; an elevator shaft system having at least two vertical shafts and at least two transfer stations, thereby forming a common circulation path for the plurality of elevator cars; the plurality of elevator cars and the elevator shaft system comprising a plurality of elevator components, at least some of the plurality of elevator components being equipped with at least one sensor adapted to generate measurement data representing the operating status of a corresponding elevator component; a controller communicatively connected at least to the elevator components equipped with the sensors for receiving the measurement data; the method is performed by an elevator maintenance system and includes: receiving the measurement data; determining the operating status of a corresponding elevator component based on the received measurement data; and generating a maintenance signal carrying maintenance data for performing maintenance on at least one elevator component, scheduling maintenance according to the operating status of the corresponding at least one elevator component before a failure occurs in the at least one elevator component.

[0020] According to a third aspect, a computer program product is provided for performing maintenance on a multi-car elevator system, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the elevator maintenance system of the multi-car elevator system to perform the method as defined in the first aspect above.

[0021] The expression “many” in this article refers to any positive integer starting from the beginning, such as one, two, or three.

[0022] The expression “multiple” in this article refers to any positive integer starting from two, such as up to two, three, or four.

[0023] Various exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention relating to construction and operation methods, together with their additional objects and advantages, will be best understood from the following description of particular exemplary and non-limiting embodiments when read in conjunction with the following accompanying drawings.

[0024] The verbs “comprising” and “including” are used in this document as open-ended restrictions, neither excluding nor requiring the presence of features not listed. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with each other. Furthermore, it should be understood that the use of “a” throughout this document, i.e., the singular form does not exclude the plural form.

[0025] Instruction manual illustrations

[0026] The embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example and not limitation.

[0027] Figure 1 A multi-car elevator system according to an example is schematically shown.

[0028] Figure 2 The method based on the example is illustrated schematically.

[0029] Figure 3 The illustration schematically shows a device for performing the functions of an elevator maintenance system, based on an example. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The specific examples provided in the description below should not be construed as limiting the scope and / or applicability of the appended claims. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the list and groups of examples provided in the description below are not exhaustive.

[0031] At least some aspects of the present invention relate to multi-car elevator systems that include an elevator maintenance system. The elevator maintenance system for a multi-car elevator system provides the possibility of estimating the remaining operating time of different components of the multi-car elevator system and the possibility of scheduling maintenance visits before any failures that could potentially disrupt elevator service.

[0032] Figure 1An example of a multi-car elevator system including an elevator maintenance system according to an example is schematically shown. The multi-car elevator system, particularly an elevator shaft system, may include at least two vertical shafts 110 and at least two transfer stations 120. Transfer stations 120 may include horizontal shaft sections for elevator cars 130 to move horizontally from one vertical shaft 110 to another. Furthermore, the multi-car elevator system may include a plurality of elevator cars 130 arranged to travel along a common loop path formed by the at least two vertical shafts 110 and at least two transfer stations 120. As mentioned above, a multi-car elevator system may include more than two vertical shafts 110 and two transfer stations 120. Figure 1 In a non-limiting example, a multi-car elevator system includes three elevator cars 130 arranged to travel in the same direction along a common loop path. The direction of travel is represented by... Figure 1 The arrow in the image indicates this.

[0033] According to this example, both the elevator shaft system and the elevator cars 130 can be configured such that the movement of each elevator car 130 is independently controllable, meaning that the movement of one elevator car 130 does not depend on the movement 130 of the other elevator cars. For example, one elevator car 130 can move even if two other elevator cars 130 remain stationary at the floor used for loading / unloading. This implementation requires the ability to generate propulsion for each elevator car 130 independently. According to the example, a multi-car elevator system can be implemented, for example, such that multiple elevator cars 130 are equipped with secondary motors and the elevator shaft system is equipped with a motor beam structure comprising multiple longitudinal beams for forming a common trajectory 130 for the cyclic movement of the elevator cars. Each motor beam can be configured to work in conjunction with the secondary motor of each of the multiple elevator cars to cause movement of the elevator cars 130 in the multi-car elevator system. For example, a linear motor for generating propulsion can be implemented such that the motor main beam structure serves as the stator of the linear motor and the secondary motor in the elevator car 130 is a further component (i.e., the rotor) of the linear motor.

[0034] For clarity, it is worth mentioning that the turning stations 120 may be implemented such that they include rotatable main beam sections for enabling the elevator car 130 to travel vertically or horizontally depending on the direction of the main beam. The rotatable main beam residing in the turning station 130 can be controlled using a device called a controller 140. The controller 140 may also be responsible for other control operations of the multi-car elevator system, such as receiving elevator calls from users of the multi-car elevator system and allocating elevator cars 130 to serve those calls. The controller 130 may be communicatively connected to other entities in the multi-car elevator system to receive and transmit signals according to the operation of the multi-car elevator system. The communication connection can be implemented in a wired or wireless manner.

[0035] According to at least some examples, a multi-car elevator system includes multiple elevator components. An elevator component can, for example, refer to a device or part installed in the elevator car 130 or the elevator shaft system, forming at least a part of the mentioned entity, and may be configured to cooperate with other entities in the multi-car elevator system. Some non-limiting examples of components are provided below:

[0036] Elevator car:

[0037] Door operator, if present

[0038] ·Battery

[0039] Linear secondary motor

[0040] • Drive unit for linear motors (e.g., inverter unit)

[0041] • Elevator car position and movement sensors

[0042] Safety chain in elevator car

[0043] Car control panel

[0044] Wireless data transceiver unit

[0045] Car braking unit

[0046] Car lighting system

[0047] Elevator shaft system:

[0048] Wireless charger

[0049] • Layer station operation nodes

[0050] • Terminal door safety nodes

[0051] Pit safety and inspection nodes

[0052] • Floor call unit

[0053] • DOP, Destination Call Interface, is located on the floor or in the lobby.

[0054] Elevator control unit

[0055] Main safety controller

[0056] • Shaft lighting

[0057] At least some elevator components belonging to a multi-car elevator system may be equipped with sensors 150 for generating measurement data indicating the operating status of the respective elevator components. The term "sensor" should be interpreted broadly; it can be implemented as a discrete component coupled to the respective elevator component, or it can be any entity within the respective elevator component on which suitable data, referred to as measurement data, can be obtained, directly or indirectly indicating the operating status of the relevant elevator component. Measurement data from the sensors 150 can be transmitted, for example, via the respective elevator component to a controller 140, and the sensors 150 and the controller 140 are communicatively connected to each other directly or indirectly in an applicable manner. Alternatively or additionally, at least some sensors 150 may be connected to the controller 140 via a separate wired or wireless sensor data bus.

[0058] The multi-car elevator system described above may further include an elevator maintenance system 160, which can be configured to receive measurement data via a communication connection between the controller 140 and the elevator maintenance system 160, which can be implemented in a wired or wireless manner. For completeness, it is worth noting that the measurement data received by the elevator maintenance system 160 can be raw data obtained by the relevant sensor 150, or it can be measurement data preprocessed in some way by an entity through which the measurement data is transmitted to the elevator maintenance system 160, for example by the controller 140, by the elevator component, or even by the sensor 150. In response to the receipt of the measurement data, the elevator maintenance system 160 can be configured to determine the operating status of the corresponding elevator component based on the received measurement data. Determining the operating status can, for example, refer to a process in which the elevator maintenance system 160 compares at least one value of the measurement data, or any other value that can be derived from the measurement data, with a reference value and generates an indication of the operating status of the elevator component. This indication can be based on statistical data and / or data trends. Additionally or alternatively, it can be based on a mathematical model, such as a model representing the lifespan of an elevator component based on load, operating cycle, temperature, etc. The mathematical model can also be based on artificial intelligence, enabling a training program to update the model over long periods of operation. The reference value can be, for example, at least one previous measurement received from the same elevator component, or a value statistically determined from one or more previous measurement data values. Alternatively or additionally, the reference value can be received from the elevator component manufacturer or from any other source. The reference value is advantageously defined such that information can be received through comparison, by which a decision regarding the elevator component can be made. For example, according to an example embodiment, the decision can generate a maintenance signal, i.e., a signal containing maintenance-related information and / or a maintenance order for the relevant elevator component. The maintenance signal can carry data, for example in the form of a maintenance order, that defines information about maintenance operations for the elevator component, such as indicating the time when maintenance operations should be performed on the relevant elevator component to avoid failure of the elevator component and thus avoid failure of the multi-car elevator system. For example, in response to the receipt of measurement data, at least one value of the measurement data is compared with one or more reference values, and in response to the determination of a match with the reference values ​​(e.g., the measurement data value is within a predefined range of reference values), an indication of the maintenance time corresponding to the range of reference values ​​can be obtained from the data storage. As a result, a maintenance signal can be generated for at least one elevator component, thereby scheduling maintenance work based on the operating condition of at least one elevator component. By scheduling maintenance work for at least some elevator components in the described manner, the utilization rate of a multi-car elevator system can be improved, for example, before at least one elevator component fails.

[0059] Maintenance can be completed during a maintenance visit. Maintenance visits will be scheduled in advance, either at the service center or in the cloud, before any estimated component failure. Each maintenance visit includes selected maintenance operations performed by maintenance personnel on-site at the elevator.

[0060] In some example embodiments, the elevator maintenance system 160 may receive measurement data from multiple elevator components. The elevator maintenance system 160 may be configured to perform a process for determining a maintenance schedule for each of the elevator components from which measurement data is received and to generate a maintenance signal accordingly. According to one example, the elevator components may be provided as a list, for example, as a list in a maintenance order that discloses the elevator components such that the components requiring maintenance first are listed at the top, with the remaining elevator components listed in descending order.

[0061] Based on any of the examples discussed in the preceding description, the data carried in a maintenance signal, such as data carried in a data record called a maintenance order, can advantageously be drafted (i.e., generated) such that it includes data defining the time of maintenance. Furthermore, it can include data identifying one or more elevator components listed in the maintenance data. Further still, it can include additional information, such as location information about the relevant elevator component (particularly its location at the time of maintenance) and other relevant data, such as the condition information of the relevant elevator component, data used for on-site identification of the corresponding elevator component (e.g., a description of the component's appearance or even a picture of it), tools required for maintenance, and / or software updates, etc. Generally, condition information can refer to the measured or estimated condition of the elevator component at the time of maintenance, which can help maintenance personnel assess the possible causes of malfunctions and / or assist maintenance personnel in maintaining the component. Such information may include the vibration characteristics of the elevator component, the voltage / current / power characteristics of the elevator component, the component temperature, recorded data logs related to operational anomalies, etc.

[0062] For completeness, the following are some non-restrictive examples of status information:

[0063] • Information representing the condition and / or lifespan estimate of each battery

[0064] • Motor / Car Vibration Level

[0065] • Maximum operating temperature of the drive unit

[0066] • Track conditions derived from EMF (electromotive force) measurements

[0067] • Stator track / guide rail dirtiness measured by capacitance

[0068] • Wear level of each brake shoe

[0069] Door operator opening torque level and maintenance requirements

[0070] In embodiments where the elevator maintenance system 160 may include elevator component-related data or use elevator component-related data in, for example, maintenance signals (elevator component-related data such as including at least some data fragments in maintenance data), the maintenance system 160 may be configured to retrieve such data fragments from a data storage device that stores this data.

[0071] According to some example embodiments, the elevator maintenance system is located away from a multi-car elevator system. For example, the elevator maintenance system 160 can be implemented using at least one computing device residing in a communication network, such as accessible via the Internet. Therefore, the elevator maintenance system 160 can be implemented as a single computing device, such as a server device, or it can be implemented as a distributed computing environment where operations are performed by multiple computing devices, i.e., as a cloud computing solution. In some embodiments, the elevator maintenance system 160 may include computing devices, some located remotely and some located on-site, implementing, for example, edge computing technologies.

[0072] Furthermore, the elevator maintenance system 160 can communicatively connect to another entity 170, such as an operator or service center responsible for the maintenance of a multi-car elevator system. Therefore, the elevator maintenance system 160 can transmit at least a portion of the maintenance data included in the maintenance signals to the maintenance operator entity 170 and instruct, for example, the scheduling of maintenance work. For example, communication between the elevator maintenance system 160 and the maintenance operator entity 170 can be arranged to occur at a predetermined schedule. The maintenance operator entity 170 may refer to a system or device configured to receive at least a portion of the maintenance data, interpret the data, and generate signals, such as alarms, to one or more systems of the maintenance operator to provide information, such as information about maintenance scheduling, to technicians and other operators.

[0073] According to some example embodiments, a multi-car elevator system, as described in the non-limiting examples above, can be operably implemented such that it operates in at least two alternative operating modes scheduled to operate at different times. A first operating mode can be applied during high-traffic periods, while a second operating mode can be applied during low-traffic periods. For example, in the first operating mode, the elevator cars 130 of the multi-car elevator system can be arranged to move in consecutive loop paths. Correspondingly, in the second operating mode, the operation of the elevator cars 130, i.e., at least the movement of the elevator cars 130, can be arranged differently; for example, at least one of the elevator cars 130 can be in non-loop movement, or even in a non-operating idle mode. In such an operating environment, maintenance, such as maintenance work defined in the data carried in the maintenance work, can be scheduled to occur during the second operating mode corresponding to low-traffic periods. This approach minimizes disruption to users of the multi-car elevator system. Generally, the number of operating modes can vary from two, thereby maintaining optimal service quality in the operating environment of the multi-car elevator system.

[0074] Furthermore, the multi-car elevator system can be implemented such that the elevator shaft system includes a maintenance space or a separate shaft section located outside the circulation path to which the elevator car 130 travels. In other words, one or more elevator cars 130 are instructed to enter the maintenance space by a control signal generated by the controller 140 based on, for example, a maintenance signal. The generation of the control signal allows the car to be instructed to enter the maintenance space before any predicted / estimated elevator component failure. This makes maintenance planning more flexible because if elevator car 130 fails, it will not block other elevator cars 130, but will wait for maintenance in a separate maintenance space. This embodiment can be achieved by sending a maintenance signal to the controller 140 or by arranging for the elevator maintenance system 160 to provide the controller 140 with at least a portion of the maintenance data included in the maintenance signal (e.g., in a maintenance order) to generate the described control signal.

[0075] For completeness, it is worth mentioning an embodiment in which the elevator maintenance system 160 can be configured to communicate with multiple multi-car elevator systems; that is, it can belong to multiple multi-car elevator systems and be configured to perform the described tasks. For example, the multiple multi-car elevator systems can be located in different geographical locations. Therefore, the elevator maintenance system can be configured to estimate the maintenance needs of the respective multi-car elevator systems in a preventative manner for multiple systems, and even utilize information received from the multi-car elevator systems in a centralized manner.

[0076] According to an example embodiment, the elevator maintenance system 160 is configured to perform, as follows: Figure 2The method is illustrated schematically. First, the elevator maintenance system 160 can be configured to receive 210 measurement data from one or more controllers 140. As described in the preceding description, each controller 140 can receive measurement data from a plurality of elevator components, such as from corresponding sensors 150, and transmit it to the elevator maintenance system 160 as raw data or in a preprocessed form. In response to receiving measurement data from at least one controller 140, the elevator maintenance system 160 can be arranged to determine 220 the operating condition of at least one elevator component for which the elevator maintenance system 160 has received measurement data. The determination of the operating condition 220 can be performed by analyzing one or more values ​​of the measurement data in a predetermined manner, for example by comparing at least one of them or any value derived from the measurement data with a corresponding reference value. Finally, based on the determination of the operating condition 220, the elevator maintenance system 160 can be configured to generate 230 a maintenance signal carrying data defining at least one maintenance-related operation for at least one elevator component. According to the example embodiment, maintenance can be scheduled based on the operating condition of the corresponding at least one elevator component before a failure occurs in at least one elevator component. In other words, the elevator maintenance system 160 can be arranged to generate maintenance signals such that maintenance data about elevator components included in the maintenance signals can be used to perform maintenance operations before the estimated damage to the respective elevator components.

[0077] Other aspects of the method have been described in the preceding description of the multi-car elevator system.

[0078] For example, the device configured to perform the functions of the described elevator maintenance system 160 can refer to a computing device, such as a server device, laptop computer, PC, or any similar data processing device. Figure 3 As shown. Figure 3 The diagram schematically illustrates what can be applied to collaborate with other entities when necessary. Figure 2 Non-limiting examples of devices for the methods described herein. For clarity, it is worth mentioning that... Figure 3The block diagram depicts some components of a device that can be used to operate the device. The device includes a processor 310 and a memory 320. The memory 320 can store data and computer program code 325. The device may also include a communication device 330 for wired and / or wireless communication with other entities. Furthermore, an I / O (input / output) component 340 may be arranged together with a portion of the processor 310 and computer program code 325 to provide a user interface for receiving input from a user (e.g., a technician from a maintenance operator), and / or, when necessary, providing output to the system user. Specifically, the user I / O component may include user input devices such as one or more keys or buttons, a keyboard, a touchscreen, or a touchpad. The user I / O component may include output devices such as a display or a touchscreen. The components of the device can be communicatively interconnected via a bus 350, which enables the transfer of data and control information between the components.

[0079] The memory 320 and a portion of the computer program code 325 stored therein may also be arranged together with the processor 310 to enable the device, i.e. the apparatus, to perform actions as described in the relevant document. Figure 3 The method described above. Processor 310 can be configured to read from and write to memory 320. Although processor 310 is depicted as a single unit, it can be implemented as one or more separate processing units. Similarly, although memory 320 is depicted as a single unit, it can be implemented as one or more separate units, some or all of which can be integrated / removable and / or provide permanent / semi-permanent / dynamic / cached storage.

[0080] Computer program code 325 may include computer-executable instructions that, when loaded into processor 310, implement functions corresponding to the steps of the method. As an example, computer program code 325 may include a computer program consisting of one or more sequences of one or more instructions. Processor 310 is capable of loading and executing the computer program by reading one or more sequences of one or more instructions included therein from memory 320. One or more sequences of one or more instructions may be configured to cause the device to perform the method described herein when executed by processor 310. Therefore, the device may include at least one processor 310 and at least one memory 320 including computer program code 325 for one or more programs, the at least one memory 320 and the computer program code 325 being configured, together with at least one processor 310, to cause the device to perform the described method.

[0081] For example, computer program code 325, such as a computer program product, may be provided, comprising at least one computer-readable non-transitory medium having computer program code 325 stored thereon, which, when executed by processor 310, causes the device to perform the method. The computer-readable non-transitory medium may include a storage device or recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-ray disc, or other article of manufacture tangibly embodying a computer program. As another example, the computer program may be provided as a signal configured to reliably transmit the computer program.

[0082] Furthermore, computer program code 325 may include proprietary applications, such as computer program code for causing the execution of the method in the manner described herein.

[0083] Any of the programming functions mentioned can also be implemented in firmware or hardware that is adapted or programmed to perform the necessary tasks.

[0084] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the functionality of this device can be shared among multiple devices within a distributed computing environment. For example, a distributed computing environment may include, Figure 3 The diagram schematically illustrates multiple devices arranged to cooperate with each other in a predetermined manner to implement the method. For example, each device may be arranged to perform one or more method steps, and in response to the completion of its specific step, it may hand over the continuation of the process to the next device.

[0085] Controller 140 can be used as follows Figure 3 A similar device, schematically shown, is used to achieve this. Naturally, it is configured to perform the described task, for example, using computer program code 325. Furthermore, communication connections are established with other entities, such as with an elevator component equipped with applicable sensors 150.

[0086] The present invention, described in the foregoing by way of exemplary embodiments, provides a solution for preventing downtime in multi-car elevator systems. This can be achieved, for example, by determining the operational status of elevator components at predetermined time intervals in the manner described, to ascertain the need for maintenance of at least some elevator components.

[0087] The specific examples provided in the description above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and / or interpretation of the appended claims. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the list and groups of examples provided in the description above are not exhaustive.

Claims

1. A multi-car elevator system, comprising: Multiple independently controllable elevator cars (130); An elevator shaft system having at least two vertical shafts (110) and at least two transfer stations (120) to form a common circulation path for the plurality of elevator cars (130); The plurality of elevator cars (130) and the elevator shaft system include a plurality of elevator components, at least some of which are equipped with at least one sensor (150) adapted to generate measurement data representing the operating status of the respective elevator component; A controller (140), which is at least communicatively connected to the elevator component equipped with the sensor (150), is used to receive the measurement data, wherein the controller (140) of the multi-car elevator system is configured to operate the multi-car elevator system in one of the following operating modes: In the first operating mode, individually controllable elevator cars (130) are arranged to move in continuous loop paths. The second operating mode, wherein the movement of at least one individually controllable elevator car (130) deviates from the cyclic movement along the cyclic path; The elevator maintenance system (160) is configured as follows: Receive (210) measurement data; Based on the received measurement data, determine (220) the operating status of the corresponding elevator components; and Generate (230) a maintenance signal carrying maintenance data for performing maintenance on at least one elevator component, the maintenance data including data defining the maintenance time, scheduling maintenance based on the operating status of the corresponding at least one elevator component before a failure of the at least one elevator component, and the maintenance work indicated in the maintenance signal is scheduled to occur during a second operating mode corresponding to low traffic time.

2. The multi-car elevator system according to claim 1, wherein, The elevator maintenance system (160) is located away from the position where the plurality of elevator cars (130) are arranged for operation.

3. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein, The elevator maintenance system (160) is arranged to be communicatively connected to the maintenance operator entity (170) for transmitting at least a portion of the maintenance data.

4. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, In the multi-car elevator system, an individually controllable elevator car (130) and elevator shaft system are implemented such that a primary motor of a linear motor is implemented in the elevator shaft system and a secondary motor of a linear motor is implemented in the individually controllable elevator car (130).

5. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, Each of the at least two transfer stations (120) includes a horizontal shaft section for the horizontal movement of an individually controllable elevator car (130) from one vertical shaft (110) to another vertical shaft (110).

6. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The elevator shaft system includes at least one maintenance space located outside the common circulation path to which the individually controllable elevator car (130) is arranged to travel; Furthermore, the controller (140) is configured to generate control signals to at least one elevator car (130) based on data included in the maintenance signals for accessing the maintenance space.

7. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The maintenance signal includes data identifying the at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance.

8. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The maintenance signal includes data indicating the location of the at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance.

9. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The maintenance signal includes data defining the status of the at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance.

10. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The maintenance signal includes data for on-site identification of the at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance.

11. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The maintenance signal includes data indicating tool and / or software updates for maintaining at least one elevator component undergoing maintenance.

12. The multi-car elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The elevator maintenance system (160) is integrated into multiple multi-car elevator systems located in different geographical locations and is used to generate maintenance signals for the multiple multi-car elevator systems.

13. A method for performing maintenance on a multi-car elevator system, the multi-car elevator system comprising: Multiple independently controllable elevator cars (130); An elevator shaft system having at least two vertical shafts (110) and at least two transfer stations (120) to form a common circulation path for multiple elevator cars (130); The plurality of elevator cars (130) and the elevator shaft system include a plurality of elevator components, at least some of which are equipped with at least one sensor (150) adapted to generate measurement data representing the operating status of the respective elevator component; A controller (140), which is at least communicatively connected to the elevator component equipped with the sensor (150), is used to receive the measurement data, wherein the controller (140) of the multi-car elevator system is configured to operate the multi-car elevator system in one of the following operating modes: In the first operating mode, individually controllable elevator cars (130) are arranged to move in continuous loop paths. The second operating mode, wherein the movement of at least one individually controllable elevator car (130) deviates from the cyclic movement along the cyclic path; This method is performed by the elevator maintenance system (160) and includes: Receive (210) measurement data; Based on the received measurement data, determine (220) the operating status of the corresponding elevator components; and Generate (230) a maintenance signal carrying maintenance data for performing maintenance on at least one elevator component, the maintenance data including data defining the maintenance time, scheduling maintenance based on the operating status of the corresponding at least one elevator component before a failure of the at least one elevator component, and the maintenance work indicated in the maintenance signal is scheduled to occur during a second operating mode corresponding to low traffic time.

14. A computer program product for performing maintenance of a multi-car elevator system, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the elevator maintenance system of the multi-car elevator system to perform the method according to claim 13.

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