Elevator Shaft Access and Safety System

Abstract

An elevator shaft access and safety system for managing the safe access of each worker to an elevator shaft provides: a Worker Vital Signs Tag (WVST) that can be attached to worker-wearable personal protective equipment (PPE) for measuring the worker's vital signs; an Access and Occupancy Microcontroller (AOM) for controlling the elevator gate and detecting elevator shaft occupancy; a Distributed Authentication Controller (DAC) for WVST authentication; and a Centralized Management Platform (CMP) for managing the system. When a worker requests access to the elevator shaft, the AOM opens the elevator gate after the WVST detects that the worker is properly wearing PPE via vital sign measurement and after the DAC determines that the worker is authorized to access the elevator shaft. This ensures that the worker is authorized to access the elevator shaft and is properly protected before entering.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Hong Kong Standard Patent Application No. 22021024171.1, filed on January 22, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] abbreviations

[0004] AOM Access and Occupancy Status Microcontroller

[0005] Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

[0006] CMP Centralized Management Platform

[0007] DAC Distributed Authentication Controller

[0008] GUI (Graphical User Interface)

[0009] ID identifier

[0010] IO Input / Output

[0011] IoT (Internet of Things)

[0012] LED Light Emitting Diode

[0013] LoRaWAN (Local Wide Area Network)

[0014] NB-IoT Narrowband Internet of Things

[0015] PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

[0016] PRMA (Random Phase Multiple Access)

[0017] RSSI received signal strength indicator

[0018] WAP wireless access point

[0019] WiFi Wireless Fidelity

[0020] WVST Worker Vital Signs Label

[0021] UI (User Interface) Technical Field

[0022] This disclosure relates to a system for managing construction workers’ access to elevator shafts of a building for safety reasons. Background Technology

[0023] Many construction projects involve elevator installation. Working inside elevator shafts is considered a high-risk task. Common hazards include worker falls and falling objects. These hazards can lead to serious injury or even death. To mitigate these risks, temporary gates are typically installed at the openings or entrances to the elevator shaft. These gates are usually secured with padlocks. If implemented and managed properly, this safety arrangement can reduce risk. However, on-site management often struggles to efficiently and effectively track every elevator gate. This shortcoming is particularly pronounced in multi-story buildings. For example, a 50-story building under construction with six elevators has over 300 gates to manage. In reality, many gates may be opened or unlocked without notice or at the workers' convenience. The risk remains.

[0024] Furthermore, unauthorized personnel entering elevator shafts pose a high risk, as they may lack sufficient training to work in the elevator shaft environment. For occupational safety, only trained workers should be permitted to work in elevator shafts. However, aside from physical keys or standard combination locks, on-site management has virtually no control over who can access which elevator shaft.

[0025] Besides safety, another problem is the inefficiency of managing and assigning physical keys for workers to open elevator shaft doors. Typically, elevator shaft door keys are centrally managed by dedicated staff appointed by site management. Maintaining paper records and manually distributing and collecting keys for workers entering and exiting the elevator shaft is both time-consuming and error-prone. The problems of lost and unreturned keys also significantly hinder the efficiency of construction work in the elevator shaft.

[0026] Furthermore, on-site management cannot see the occupancy status of the elevator shaft or the condition of the workers. This drawback could become a critical issue because the elevator shaft is an enclosed area. In the event of an accident, it could be difficult to locate the injured worker and ascertain his or her health condition.

[0027] There is a need for an elevator shaft access and safety system that can effectively and efficiently manage workers' access to the elevator shaft using various regulations to ensure their safety, such as detecting if any workers are in an emergency. Summary of the Invention

[0028] This disclosure provides an elevator shaft access and safety system for at least managing workers’ safe access to one or more elevator shafts via one or more controllable elevator gates.

[0029] The system includes one or more WVSTs, one or more AOMs, and one or more DACs. The one or more WVSTs are used for worker identification and vital sign measurement. A single WVST can be attached to a corresponding worker-worn PPE. Additionally, a single WVST is configured to measure one or more vital signs of the corresponding worker to generate vital sign data. A single WVST is also assigned an ID for identifying the corresponding worker. The one or more AOMs are used to control access to at least one or more elevator shafts. A single AOM is configured to control a corresponding elevator gate installed at the corresponding elevator shaft. The single AOM and the single WVST can communicate wirelessly with each other when the distance between them is within a predetermined maximum communication range. The one or more DACs are used to authenticate the one or more WVSTs based at least on a corresponding one or more IDs of the one or more WVSTs. A single AOM can communicate with a pre-selected DAC selected from the one or more DACs. Specifically, a single AOM is further configured to open the corresponding elevator gate to allow the worker to enter when the worker requests access to the corresponding elevator shaft, after a single WVST detects that the worker is properly protected by measuring one or more vital signs and after a preselected DAC confirms that the worker is authorized to access the corresponding elevator shaft.

[0030] Preferably, the system ensures that the corresponding worker is authorized to access the corresponding elevator shaft and is properly protected before entering the elevator shaft through the following arrangement: A single WVST is further configured to determine a first result—whether the corresponding worker is properly wearing PPE—by measuring one or more vital signs to determine the presence or absence of vital sign measurement failure. When the single AOM and the single WVST are wirelessly communicative with each other, and when a preselected DAC is communicative with the single AOM, the ID and the first result can be obtained by the single AOM from the single WVST, and the ID can also be obtained by the preselected DAC from the single AOM. The preselected DAC is configured to determine a second result—whether the corresponding worker is authorized to enter the corresponding elevator shaft—based on at least the ID, and is configured to send the second result to the single AOM. Specifically, the single AOM is further configured to open the corresponding elevator gate only when one or more accessibility conditions are met when the corresponding worker requests access to the corresponding elevator shaft, wherein the first accessibility condition is that both the first result and the second result are affirmative. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the workers entering the corresponding elevator shaft are authorized to access the shaft and are properly protected.

[0031] Preferably, the system further includes one or more WAPs and a CMP. The one or more WAPs are connectable to the Internet to wirelessly communicate with and provide Internet connectivity to one or more DACs. The CMP is implemented via an Internet-connected computing server and can communicate with the one or more DACs via the one or more WAPs to manage the one or more DACs and provide a user interface to a site administrator. The CMP is configured to periodically update a pre-selected DAC with a list of valid IDs, indicating specific workers authorized to enter the corresponding elevator shaft.

[0032] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed, as illustrated in the embodiments below. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the topological arrangement of an elevator shaft access and safety system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 2 A series of WVST, AOM, DAC, WAP, and CMP parameters are described in the system to further illustrate the system's structure and operational details.

[0035] Figure 3 A practical implementation of a worker-wearable PPE for personal protection is depicted, wherein the PPE is integrated with WVST and implemented as a safety helmet.

[0036] Those skilled in the art will understand that the elements in the accompanying drawings are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily depicted to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” should be interpreted herein as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including but not limited to”) unless otherwise stated.

[0038] As used herein, "being authenticated" means that the device or person has been verified as genuine or valid, thereby enabling or authorizing the device or person to perform a predefined task. "Authenticating" a device or person means verifying whether the device or person has been authenticated.

[0039] As used in this article, "personal protective equipment" or PPE is wearable equipment, gear, or clothing designed to protect the wearer's body from harm. Examples of PPE include protective clothing, safety helmets, goggles, gas masks, wearable face shields, and protective footwear.

[0040] As used herein, "vital signs" are medical signs selected from a pool of the most important medical signs that indicate the state of a person's life (life-sustaining) functions. These most important medical signs are commonly used to help assess a person's overall health, provide clues to possible diseases, and indicate progress in recovery. Examples of vital signs include body temperature, blood pressure, pulse (heart rate), and respiratory rate (breathing rate). It should be noted that the normal range of vital signs varies with age, weight, sex, and overall health. Those skilled in the art can consult published vital sign tables to identify the normal range of vital sign values.

[0041] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, “cloud” or “computing cloud” is interpreted in the sense of cloud computing or, synonymously, distributed computing on a network.

[0042] As used in this article, "server" is interpreted in a computational sense. That is, a server is a computing server. "Computer" is used interchangeably with "server." A server or computer typically has one or more computing processors for executing program instructions and one or more storage devices for storing data. A server can be a standalone computing server (i.e., a physical server), a distributed server in the cloud, or a virtual server for processing client instructions. For example, one or more storage devices can be hard disks or solid-state drives.

[0043] As used herein, a "mobile computing device" is a portable electronic device that has computing capabilities and is configured for use by a human user. For example, a mobile computing device can be a smartphone or a handheld tablet computer.

[0044] This document discloses an elevator shaft access and safety system. The system is used to manage the safe access of at least one worker (typically a construction worker) to one or more elevator shafts via one or more controllable elevator gates. The system can be advantageously used to assist site managers in monitoring construction sites with the one or more elevator shafts.

[0045] The publicly available system is scalable and easily expandable, and can be implemented in a variety of application scenarios. It can be implemented in buildings under construction where there is a single elevator shaft to be installed with one elevator, or a single elevator shaft large enough to accommodate multiple elevators. The system can also be implemented in buildings under construction with multiple elevator shafts, where each shaft is to be installed with one or more elevators. Furthermore, the system can be implemented on multiple buildings at large construction sites (such as residential areas). It is also possible to implement the system in existing buildings under renovation projects where outdated elevators are demolished and new elevators are installed.

[0046] With the help of Figure 1Examples of the disclosed systems, Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the topological arrangement of an exemplary elevator shaft access and safety system 100 is shown. System 100 manages at least worker access to one or more elevator shafts via one or more elevator gates. System 100 can also be extended to manage and respond to safety-related events identified by system 100. System 100 includes one or more WVSTs 110, one or more AOMs 120, and one or more DACs 130. The number of WVSTs, AOMs, and DACs is variable to adapt system 100 to different practical application scenarios, thus making system 100 scalable.

[0047] One or more WVSTs 110 are used for worker identification and vital sign measurement. A single WVST can be attached to a PPE that the corresponding worker can wear. Functionally, a single WVST is configured to measure one or more vital signs of the corresponding worker to generate vital sign data. The single WVST further processes the vital sign data to determine whether the corresponding worker is properly wearing PPE in order to detect whether the corresponding worker is adequately protected. In addition, an ID is assigned to the single WVST for identifying the corresponding worker.

[0048] One or more AOMs 120 are used to control access to at least one or more elevator shafts. Specifically, one AOM is used to control one elevator gate. That is, a single AOM is configured to control a corresponding elevator gate installed at the corresponding elevator shaft. The single AOM and the single WVST can communicate wirelessly with each other when the distance between them is within a predetermined maximum communication range. In system 100, a security check is designed to be performed when a worker approaches the corresponding elevator gate to determine whether the worker is allowed to enter the corresponding elevator shaft. Therefore, the transceivers of the single WVST and the single AOM are typically configured to support only short-range communication.

[0049] It should be noted that a single detectable WVST is allowed to communicate with one or more detectable WVSTs among one or more WVSTs 110 when a single detectable WVST is within a predetermined maximum communication range from a single AOM. Therefore, the number of WVSTs communicating with each AOM varies dynamically. As an example, Figure 1The diagram depicts AOMs 121, 122, and 123 communicating with WVSTs 111a to 111d, 112a to 112c, and 113a to 113e, respectively. If a worker carrying WVST 112a leaves AOM 122 and approaches AOM 121 such that the distance between WVST 112a and AOM 121 becomes less than a predetermined maximum communication range at some point, but the distance between WVST 112a and AOM 122 exceeds the predetermined maximum communication range, then WVST 112a switches communication from AOM 122 to AOM 121.

[0050] One or more DACs 130 are used to authenticate the one or more WVSTs 110 at least based on one or more corresponding IDs of the one or more WVSTs 110. In system 100, it is intended that an AOM communicates with one DAC, and a DAC can communicate with a single AOM or multiple AOMs. For example, AOM 121 is arranged to communicate only with DAC 131 and not with DAC 132, while DAC 131 can communicate with each of AOMs 121 to AOM 123. Thus, a single AOM can communicate with a pre-selected DAC chosen from one or more DACs 130. The pre-selected DAC is configured to determine whether a corresponding worker is authorized to access the corresponding elevator shaft.

[0051] Advantageously, the individual AOM is further configured such that when a worker requests access to the corresponding elevator shaft, the corresponding elevator gate is opened to allow the worker to enter after (1) a single WVST detects that the worker is adequately protected by measuring one or more vital signs and (2) a pre-selected DAC confirms that the worker is authorized to access the corresponding elevator shaft. This arrangement prevents unauthorized persons or persons lacking adequate protection from accessing the corresponding elevator shaft.

[0052] The following provides further details of how this is preferably implemented in system 100 to prevent unauthorized and unprotected persons from entering the corresponding elevator shaft. When processing vital sign data, a single WVST is further configured to determine a first result—whether the corresponding worker is properly wearing PPE—by measuring one or more vital signs to determine the presence or absence of vital sign measurement failure. When the single WVST can wirelessly communicate with a single AOM, the ID and the first result can be obtained by the single AOM from the single WVST. Since the single AOM and the preselected DAC are communicable, the ID can be obtained by the preselected DAC from the single AOM. The preselected DAC is configured to determine a second result—whether the corresponding worker is authorized to enter the corresponding elevator shaft—based on at least the ID. After obtaining the second result, the preselected DAC sends the second result to the single AOM. The single AOM is further configured to open the corresponding elevator gate only if one or more accessibility conditions are met when the corresponding worker requests access to the corresponding elevator shaft. Among the one or more accessibility conditions, the first accessibility condition is that both the first result and the second result are affirmative. Therefore, it provides the advantage of ensuring that the corresponding workers are authorized to access the corresponding elevator shaft and are properly protected before entering the corresponding elevator shaft.

[0053] While the aforementioned advantages can be achieved through one or more WVST 110s, one or more AOMs 120s, and one or more DACs 130s, the additional elements of system 100 enable further advantages regarding access control and security management. Preferably and advantageously, system 100 further includes one or more WAPs 140s and a CMP 150. The one or more WAPs 140s are connectable to the Internet 190 for wireless communication with and to the one or more DACs 130s, providing them with Internet connectivity. Thus, the one or more WAPs 140s form a wireless communication network for communication with the one or more DACs 130s. The Internet-connected CMP 150 communicates with the one or more DACs 130s via the Internet 190 and the one or more WAPs 140s. The CMP 150 is used to manage system 100 and to provide a user interface to field administrators.

[0054] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram depicting the structure of WVST 111a, AOM 121, DAC 131, WAP 141, and CMP 150, and the signal flow between them, to further illustrate the details of one or more WVST 110, one or more AOM 120, one or more DAC 130, one or more WAP 140, and CMP 150, and their interactions. WVST 111a, AOM 121, DAC 131, and WAP 141 represent a single WVST, a single AOM, a pre-selected DAC, and a single WAP, respectively.

[0055] Further utilize Figure 3 WVST 111a is an example. Figure 3 A practical implementation of the PPE 310 integrated with WVST 111a is depicted. In WVST 111a, one or more vital sign sensors 211 are used to measure one or more vital signs of a corresponding worker to generate vital sign data. In some embodiments, the one or more vital signs include body temperature and heart rate. These two vital signs are typically used to assess the physical health of the corresponding worker. Accordingly, the one or more vital sign sensors 211 include a body temperature sensor 311 for measuring body temperature and a heart rate sensor 312 for measuring heart rate. Vital sign data includes readings of body temperature and heart rate.

[0056] exist Figure 3 In this context, PPE 310 is a safety helmet. WVST 111a is configured and adapted to be attached to the safety helmet. Preferably, one or more vital sign sensors 211 are mounted on the forehead to contact the forehead skin of the respective worker. The proximity of the body temperature sensor 311 and the heart rate sensor 312 facilitates vital sign measurement. Preferably, signal conditioning is used to process the measurement data from the body temperature sensor 311 to remove noise. In one embodiment of the heart rate sensor 312, real-time sampling of light reflected from blood flowing under the skin can be used to reveal the heart rate. Preferably, signal conditioning is applied to remove noise from the heart rate sensor's measurement data, thereby improving the accuracy of the obtained heart rate.

[0057] It should be noted that proper wearing of the safety helmet should be reflected in a normal reading obtained by the heart rate sensor 312 and a reading of body temperature exceeding 35°C by the body temperature sensor 311. In some embodiments, if the vital signs data indicate a body temperature below 35°C and a heart rate that is zero or undetectable, a failure of vital signs measurement is determined to have occurred as a first result for determining whether the worker is properly wearing the PPE. This criterion can be applied to determine the presence or absence of a failure of vital signs measurement regardless of whether the PPE is a safety helmet.

[0058] As mentioned above, one or more vital signs are measured by one or more vital sign sensors 211. A single vital sign sensor for measuring a specific vital sign captures or senses a raw signal and then processes the raw signal to produce a reading of the vital sign being measured. A vital sign is detectable only if the desired component of the raw signal has sufficiently high power. Consider an example of implementing a body temperature sensor 311 using an infrared sensor to generate an infrared power distribution as the raw signal. The desired component of the raw signal is a portion of an infrared power distribution over a specific wavelength region in which an object with a temperature, for example, 35°C to 40°C, emits a large amount of infrared radiation. If the aforementioned portion of the infrared power distribution has low power, body temperature is undetectable. Improperly wearing a safety helmet or PPE also results in a low power of the desired component, making the vital sign undetectable. It should be noted that in the case of undetectable vital signs, the corresponding reading of the vital sign (i.e., the corresponding vital sign data) is considered invalid.

[0059] In some embodiments, a vital sign measurement failure is determined to have occurred if at least one of one or more vital signs is determined to be undetectable. An individual vital sign is determined to be undetectable based on the raw signal sensed by the corresponding vital sign sensor used to measure the individual vital sign. The number of undetectable vital signs used to determine a vital sign measurement failure depends on the stringency of the security policy. In the most stringent case, a single undetectable vital sign is sufficient to cause a vital sign measurement failure, indicating that the PPE was not properly worn. It should be noted that the undetectability of a single vital sign indicates that the corresponding vital sign data is invalid. Therefore, a vital sign measurement failure can also be determined if at least one of the vital sign data is invalid.

[0060] In some embodiments, a vital sign measurement failure is determined to have occurred if all or more vital signs are determined to be undetectable based on one or more raw signals sensed by one or more vital sign sensors 211.

[0061] In addition to mounting the WVST 111a onto a safety helmet, other wearable forms of the WVST 111a include chest straps and head straps.

[0062] For safety reasons, workers should be alerted if PPE is worn inappropriately.

[0063] Similarly, in the event of worker overheating or abnormal heart rate, the relevant worker and the construction site safety officer should be alerted. Preferably, WVST 111a is further configured to detect the occurrence of overheating or abnormal heart rate based on vital sign data (such as vital sign data measured by body temperature sensor 311 or heart rate sensor 312). The detected occurrence triggers a safety-related event. In response to the occurrence of a safety-related event, WVST 111a alerts the relevant worker and notifies AOM 121 of the safety-related event for emergency handling.

[0064] In addition to vital sign measurements, WVST 111a may include one or more other sensors 212 for promoting worker safety.

[0065] Heat stress is a condition suffered by a worker due to overheating. The risk of heat stress can be assessed based on body temperature, relative humidity, and ambient temperature. Upon detection of heat stress, the relevant worker and the site safety officer should be alerted. In some embodiments, one or more additional sensors 212 include a humidity sensor and an ambient temperature sensor to sense the relative humidity and ambient temperature of the worker's surroundings, respectively. WVST 111a is further configured to determine the occurrence of heat stress experienced by the worker based on body temperature, heart rate, relative humidity, and ambient temperature. The detected occurrence triggers a safety-related event. In response to the occurrence of a safety-related event, WVST 111a alerts the relevant worker and notifies AOM 121 of the safety-related event for emergency handling.

[0066] Worker falls are a major occupational safety risk. In the event of a fall, early rescue action is crucial. In some embodiments, one or more additional sensors 212 include a 3-axis accelerometer 313 for detecting a fall by the worker in question. WVST 111a is further configured to detect the occurrence of a sudden fall by the worker in question, whereby the detected occurrence triggers a safety-related event. In response to the occurrence of a safety-related event, WVST 111a alerts the worker in question and notifies AOM 121 of the safety-related event for emergency handling.

[0067] Preferably, WVST 111a further includes one or more UI devices 213 for interacting with the corresponding worker. The one or more UI devices 213 may include an emergency alarm for generating an audio warning to the corresponding worker. The emergency alarm can be activated when WVST 111a detects a safety-related event.

[0068] WVST 111a includes a computing processor 217, which performs signal processing tasks and controls WVST 111a.

[0069] As mentioned above, AOM 121 and WVST 111a can wirelessly communicate with each other when the distance between them is within the predetermined maximum communication range. WVST 111a further includes a WVST transceiver 214 for communicating with AOM 121 and also with any AOM in one or more AOMs 120. It should be noted that, for safety reasons, AOM 121 typically only commands the corresponding elevator gate to open or close when the corresponding worker is near or even in front of the corresponding elevator gate. Furthermore, for ease of installation, AOM 121 is typically located near the corresponding elevator gate. Therefore, it is only necessary to set the predetermined maximum communication range to short range. Preferably, WVST transceiver 214 is implemented using one or more short-range radio protocols. Each protocol can be selected from Bluetooth BLE, Zigbee, and Z-Wave specifications. Therefore, the predetermined maximum communication range is typically less than 30m.

[0070] In some embodiments, the WVST transceiver 214 is configured to periodically broadcast an advertising signal to enable any AOM 121 or any of one or more AOMs 120 to discover and pair with the WVST 111a. Optionally, the advertising message carried in the advertising signal is encrypted to enhance wireless security against eavesdropping, etc. The advertising message can be decrypted by each of the one or more AOMs 120. This can be achieved, for example, if one or more WVSTs 110s and one or more AOMs 120s share the same encryption key.

[0071] Similarly, AOM 121 includes an AOM transceiver 224 configured to communicate with WVST 111a and also with any WVST in one or more WVSTs 110. In practice, AOM transceiver 224 communicates with one or more detectable WVSTs in one or more WVSTs 110 (e.g., such as...). Figure 1 The WVSTs 111a to 111d depicted in the document communicate with each other, wherein a single detectable WVST is located within a predetermined maximum communication range from AOM 121.

[0072] Although the predetermined maximum communication range is typically less than 30m, sending all IDs of one or more detectable WVSTs to DAC 131 for WVST authentication is cumbersome for both AOM 121 and DAC 131. It is desirable to authenticate those detectable WVSTs that are very close to the corresponding elevator gate (i.e., near AOM 121). In some embodiments, AOM 121 is further configured to estimate the distance between a single detectable WVST and AOM 121 based on the received signal strength of the corresponding advertising signal transmitted from a single detectable WVST and received by a single AOM. By estimating the distance using the received signal strength, system 100 is required to configure one or more WVSTs 110 to broadcast their respective advertising signals with the same transmit power. AOM 121 is further configured to forward the corresponding ID received from a single detectable WVST to DAC 131 for authentication only if the estimated distance is within a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is selected to avoid the burden of authenticating a single detectable WVST at DAC 131 when the corresponding worker carrying the single detectable WVST is not very close to the corresponding elevator gate. For example, the predetermined distance can be set to 10m, 7m, or 4m.

[0073] Since the received signal strength is typically measured as RSSI, AOM 121 can directly compare the RSSI to a specific RSSI threshold instead of estimating the distance between the individual detectable WVST and AOM 121. This threshold corresponds to the received signal strength provided that the individual detectable WVST is located at a predetermined distance from AOM 121. In some embodiments, AOM 121 is further configured to: (1) determine or obtain the RSSI of the corresponding advertising signal transmitted from the individual detectable WVST and received by AOM 121, and (2) forward the corresponding ID received from the individual detectable WVST to DAC 131 for authentication only if the RSSI is greater than a predetermined RSSI threshold, the predetermined RSSI threshold being selected to avoid the burden of authenticating the individual detectable WVST at DAC 131 when the corresponding worker carrying the individual detectable WVST is not close to the corresponding elevator gate.

[0074] To enhance wireless security, WVST 111a and AOM 121 are preferably configured to encrypt communication between WVST 111a and AOM 121. Those skilled in the art will be able to determine the appropriate cryptographic algorithm or protocol used for communication.

[0075] The AOM 121 includes a computing processor 227, which performs computing tasks and controls the AOM 121.

[0076] Multiple peripheral devices 260, together with AOM 121, are used to assist AOM 121 in performing various control and monitoring functions. Preferably, AOM 121 is configured to interconnect with the multiple peripheral devices 260.

[0077] Multiple peripheral devices 260 include one or more power locks 261 and one or more door sensors 262. The power locks 261 can be controlled by the AOM 121 to lock or unlock corresponding elevator gates, thereby enabling the corresponding elevator gates to open or close for controlling access to the corresponding elevator shaft. The door sensors 262 are used to detect the open / closed state of the corresponding elevator gates. The open / closed state of the corresponding elevator gates is sent to the AOM 121. If one or more door sensors 262 detect that the corresponding elevator gate has been open for an extended period while the AOM 121 commands one or more power locks 261 to lock the corresponding elevator gate, a safety-related event occurs and is detected by the AOM 121, triggering a response from the AOM 121.

[0078] In addition to controlling access to one or more elevator shafts, another use of one or more AOMs 120 is to monitor the occupancy of one or more elevator shafts. In some embodiments, the plurality of peripheral devices 260 further include one or more motion sensors 263 for detecting moving objects in the corresponding elevator shaft, thereby allowing monitoring of the corresponding elevator shaft and allowing determination of its occupancy. In some embodiments, the AOM 121 is further configured to detect the presence of personnel in the corresponding elevator shaft outside of the permitted entry clock time based on the measurements of the one or more motion sensors 263, and to respond to safety-related events resulting from the detected presence of personnel.

[0079] The AOM 121 is required to interact with the worker at least when the worker approaches the corresponding elevator gate and requests entry into the corresponding elevator shaft. Preferably, the plurality of peripheral devices 260 further include one or more I / O devices 269 for enabling the AOM 121 to interact with the worker. In some embodiments, the one or more I / O devices 269 include a first lock release button 264 for enabling the worker to request entry into the corresponding elevator shaft through the corresponding elevator gate, an audible alarm 265 for alerting the worker, and one or more status indicator LEDs 266 for indicating one or more states of the corresponding elevator shaft. The one or more states may be related to the occupancy status of the elevator shaft, lighting conditions, air conditions, the occurrence of safety-related events, etc.

[0080] Optionally, one or more IO devices 269 further include a second lock release button 264, which is used to open the corresponding elevator gate when a specific worker in the corresponding elevator shaft wishes to leave the corresponding elevator shaft. The AOM 121, capable of receiving the ID of the corresponding WVST of the aforementioned specific worker, records the worker's departure time.

[0081] Optionally, one or more peripheral devices 260 are IoT devices with internet connectivity. For example, one or more electric door locks 261 are one or more smart door locks.

[0082] As mentioned above, the AOM 121 is typically located near the corresponding elevator gate. Therefore, the AOM 121 is usually not far from multiple peripheral devices 260. When connecting the AOM 121 to a single peripheral device, twisted-pair cables are the preferred choice due to their noise immunity, and twisted-pair cables are generally inexpensive.

[0083] AOM 121 receives the ID from WVST 111a and forwards the received ID to DAC 131 for WVST authentication. DAC 131 includes a local database 231 containing a list of valid IDs for WVST authentication. In practice, most commonly, DAC 131 determines whether a worker is authorized to enter the corresponding elevator shaft based not only on the ID but also on one or more additional criteria. These additional criteria vary depending on the circumstances and can be determined by those skilled in the art based on the specific situation considered. The one or more additional criteria may include: a list of selected elevator gates that the worker is allowed to pass through; a list of one or more time periods during which the worker is allowed to access the corresponding elevator shaft; or a combination thereof. Both of these lists may be stored together with the list of valid IDs in the local database 231.

[0084] Similarly, DAC 131 includes a computing processor 237 for performing various computing tasks, including WVST certification, and for controlling DAC 131.

[0085] AOM 121 and DAC 131 communicate with each other via communication link 172. Link 172 can be wired or wireless. Preferably, link 172 is implemented via wires or cables to allow additional power from DAC 131 to AOM 121. In some embodiments, communication link 172 conforms to the RS-485 standard and operates via a twisted-pair cable forming an RS-485 cable. The RS-485 standard utilizes differential signaling in communication, thereby enhancing noise immunity. The RS-485 cable can advantageously be used to supply power to AOM 121.

[0086] In addition to downstream communication with AOM 121, DAC 131 also communicates upstream with CMP 150 via WAP 141. DAC 131 includes a DAC transceiver 234 for communicating with WAP 141.

[0087] WAP 141 can be configured to support wireless communication under one or more radio protocols. Examples of suitable radio protocols include the WiFi specification, LoRaWAN specification, NB-IoT specification, Sigfox specification, RPMA specification, and cellular mobile communication standards.

[0088] Typically, buildings with corresponding elevator shafts are under construction, making wired communication infrastructure unavailable within the building. In some embodiments, WAP 141 implements a short-range or mid-range transceiver (e.g., a WiFi transceiver) for communicating with DAC 131 and a long-range wireless transceiver (e.g., a 5G communication module) for connecting to a mobile communication system (which in turn connects to the Internet 190). It should be noted that WAP 141 may need to be installed in a location where power supply to the building is not readily available, thus forcing WAP 141 to be battery-powered. Preferably, the short-range or mid-range transceiver of WAP 141 operates under a low-power communication protocol, such as LoRaWAN.

[0089] As mentioned above, CMP 150 is used to manage system 100 and provide a user interface 255 to the site administrator. In practice, CMP 150 is implemented via a computing server that can connect to the Internet 190. One use of CMP 150 is to periodically update DAC 131 with a list of valid IDs indicating specific workers authorized to enter the corresponding elevator shaft. It may also be necessary for CMP 150 to periodically update: a list of selected elevator gates allowed for the corresponding worker; and / or a list of one or more time periods for which the corresponding worker is allowed to access the corresponding elevator shaft. Preferably, CMP 150 includes a database 251 for storing worker information and access control information associated with each WVST.

[0090] In addition to managing access control for one or more elevator shafts, the CMP 150 performs other administrative tasks. Typically, the CMP 150 collects the status of one or more WVSTs 110s, one or more AOMs 120s, and one or more DACs 130s to allow site administrators to track up-to-date information about the construction site. Furthermore, the CMP 150 is configured to respond to safety-related events reported from the AOM 121 via the DAC 131. For example, the CMP 150 alerts the site safety officer whenever a new safety-related event occurs. When the CMP 150 is connected to the Internet 190, safety officers can be quickly alerted by, for example, by using an Internet-enabled mobile computing device that connects to the CMP 150 in real time.

[0091] In some embodiments, the computing server used to implement CMP 150 is programmed with the following modules: an access management module 252 for managing worker access to one or more elevator shafts; an event management module 253 for managing and responding to any safety-related events reported from one or more AOMs 120s; and a system configuration module 254 for managing the configuration of one or more WVSTs 110s, one or more AOMs 120s, and one or more DACs 130s. Preferably and advantageously, the system configuration module is additionally used to manage the configuration of one or more WAPs 140s. As construction work progresses, reconfiguration of one or more WAPs 140s may be required from time to time, wherein relocation of some WAPs and addition of new DACs may occur.

[0092] Computing servers can be physical computers, or alternatively, distributed servers in a computing cloud.

[0093] User interface 255 can be implemented through one or more physical I / O devices (such as touchscreens, GUI dashboards, etc.). Since CMP 150 is internet connected, user interface 255 can also be implemented as a software module programmed to communicate with the I / O devices of remote users via the internet 190.

[0094] The following describes other implementation details of System 100.

[0095] Preferably, WVST 111a is detachably attached to PPE so that when the original PPE is damaged or worn due to, for example, aging, WVST 111a can be removed from the original PPE and reused in a new PPE.

[0096] In addition to one or more accessibility conditions used by AOM 121 to determine whether a worker is permitted access to the corresponding elevator shaft, a second accessibility condition may be that the corresponding elevator shaft is adequately illuminated. Advantageously, the plurality of peripheral devices 260 may further include illuminance meters or light sensors installed in the corresponding elevator shaft near the corresponding elevator gate, or installed in the corresponding elevator shaft at a location not visible through the corresponding elevator gate.

[0097] System 100 can be configured to transmit various datasets related to occupational safety and generated by WVST 111a and AOM 121 for the corresponding worker during a visit to the corresponding elevator shaft to CMP 150 for recording. Preferably, one dataset in the dataset is vital sign data. Other datasets may relate to the time of entry into the corresponding elevator shaft, the time of exit from the corresponding elevator shaft, the distance of the corresponding worker from AOM 121 over time during the visit, etc. In some embodiments, WVST 111a is configured to send vital sign data to AOM 121. AOM 121 and DAC 131 are configured to relay vital sign data to CMP 150. Vital sign data is stored in CMP 150 for recording.

[0098] As mentioned above, a single AOM (Automatic Oscillator) is typically installed near the corresponding elevator gate. In a building under construction with many floors, a DAC (Digital Control Unit) can be used to control multiple AOMs located on one floor. Placing the DAC and multiple AOMs on the same floor allows for cabling between them to be done on the same floor, providing convenience. The number of WAPs (Wireless Access Points) required to support wireless communication with all DACs in the building depends on the number of floors and the carrier frequency used in the WAPs. Radio signals with lower carrier frequencies are more penetrating in indoor radio propagation.

[0099] The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, this embodiment should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive in all respects. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all variations within the equivalent meaning and scope of the claims are therefore intended to be included therein.

Claims

1. An elevator shaft access and safety system for at least managing the safe access of workers to one or more elevator shafts via one or more controllable elevator gates, the system comprising: One or more Worker Vital Signs Tags (WVSTs) are used for worker identification and vital sign measurement. A single WVST can be attached to the corresponding worker's personal protective equipment (PPE). The single WVST is configured to measure one or more vital signs of the corresponding worker to generate vital sign data. The single WVST is assigned an identifier ID for identifying the corresponding worker. One or more Access and Occupancy Microcontrollers (AOMs) are used to control at least access to the one or more elevator shafts. A single AOM is configured to control a corresponding elevator gate installed at the corresponding elevator shaft. The single AOM and the single WVST can communicate wirelessly with each other when the distance between the single AOM and the single WVST is within a predetermined maximum communication range. as well as One or more distributed authentication controllers (DACs) are configured to authenticate the one or more WVSTs at least based on one or more corresponding IDs of the one or more WVSTs, and the single AOM is capable of communicating with a preselected DAC selected from the one or more DACs; The individual AOM is further configured to open the corresponding elevator gate to allow the worker to enter when the worker requests access to the corresponding elevator shaft, after the individual WVST detects that the worker is properly protected by measuring one or more vital signs and after the preselected DAC confirms that the worker is authorized to access the corresponding elevator shaft.

2. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 1, wherein: The individual WVST is further configured to determine, as a first result, whether the worker is properly wearing PPE by measuring one or more vital signs to determine whether there is a failure to measure vital signs. The ID and the first result can be obtained from the single WVST by the single AOM; The ID can be obtained from the single AOM by the pre-selected DAC, the pre-selected DAC being configured to determine, based on at least the ID, whether the corresponding worker is authorized to enter the corresponding elevator shaft as a second result, and being configured to send the second result to the single AOM; and The individual AOM is further configured to open the corresponding elevator gate only when one or more accessibility conditions are met when the corresponding worker requests access to the corresponding elevator shaft. The first accessibility condition is that both the first result and the second result are affirmative, thereby ensuring that the corresponding worker is an authorized worker to access the corresponding elevator shaft and is properly protected before entering the corresponding elevator shaft.

3. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 2, wherein: The one or more vital signs include body temperature and heart rate; and The single WVST includes a body temperature sensor for measuring the body temperature and a heart rate sensor for measuring the heart rate.

4. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 3, wherein, If the vital signs data indicate that the body temperature is below 35°C and the heart rate is undetectable, then a vital signs measurement failure is determined to have occurred.

5. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 3, wherein, The single WVST is further configured as follows: The detection of overheating or abnormal heart rate based on the vital signs data may trigger a safety-related incident. and In response to the occurrence of the safety-related incident, the relevant workers are alerted and the individual AOM is notified of the safety-related incident for emergency handling.

6. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 3, wherein: The single WVST further includes a humidity sensor and an ambient temperature sensor to sense the relative humidity and ambient temperature of the worker's surroundings, respectively; and The single WVST is further configured as follows: The occurrence of heat stress experienced by the corresponding worker is determined based on the body temperature, heart rate, relative humidity, and ambient temperature, thereby triggering a safety-related event upon detection. and In response to the occurrence of the safety-related incident, the relevant worker is alerted and the individual AOM is notified of the safety-related incident for emergency handling.

7. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 2, wherein, If at least one of the one or more vital signs is determined to be undetectable, a vital sign measurement failure is determined to have occurred.

8. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 2, wherein: The single WVST includes one or more vital sign sensors for measuring the one or more vital signs of the corresponding worker; and If all one or more vital signs are determined to be undetectable based on one or more raw signals sensed by the one or more vital sign sensors, then a vital sign measurement failure is determined to have occurred.

9. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 1, wherein: The single WVST includes a 3-axis accelerometer for detecting falls of the corresponding workers; and The single WVST is further configured as follows: The system detects sudden falls by workers, and these detected falls trigger safety-related incidents. In response to the occurrence of the safety-related incident, the relevant worker is alerted and the individual AOM is notified of the safety-related incident for emergency handling.

10. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 1, wherein, The individual WVST includes a WVST transceiver for communicating with the individual AOM, the WVST transceiver being configured to periodically broadcast advertising signals so that the individual AOM can discover and pair with the individual WVST.

11. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 10, wherein, The advertising message carried in the advertising signal is encrypted, and the advertising message can be decrypted by each of the one or more AOMs.

12. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 10, wherein, The WVST transceiver is implemented using one or more short-range radio protocols selected from the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) specification, the Zigbee specification, and the Z-wave specification.

13. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 1, wherein, The single WVST is configured to be attached to a safety helmet used as PPE.

14. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 1, wherein, The single AOM is configured to interconnect to multiple peripheral devices, including: One or more ignition locks, which can be controlled by the single AOM to lock or unlock corresponding elevator gates, thereby enabling the corresponding elevator gates to open or close for controlling access to the corresponding elevator shaft; and One or more door sensors are used to detect the open / closed status of the corresponding elevator gate.

15. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 14, wherein, The plurality of peripheral devices further include one or more motion sensors for detecting moving objects in the corresponding elevator shaft, thereby allowing monitoring of the corresponding elevator shaft and allowing determination of its occupancy status.

16. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 15, wherein, The individual AOM is further configured to detect the presence of personnel in the corresponding elevator shaft outside the permitted entry clock time based on the measurement results of the one or more motion sensors, and to respond to safety-related events caused by the detected presence of personnel.

17. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 14, wherein, The plurality of peripheral devices further include one or more input / output I / O devices for enabling the individual AOM to interact with the corresponding worker.

18. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 17, wherein, The one or more I / O devices include: A lock release button is provided to enable the corresponding worker to request entry into the corresponding elevator shaft through the corresponding elevator gate. An audible alarm, used to warn relevant workers; and One or more status indicator LEDs are used to indicate the status of the corresponding elevator shaft.

19. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 14, wherein, At least one of the plurality of peripheral devices is an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

20. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 10, wherein, The single AOM includes an AOM transceiver configured to communicate with one or more of the one or more detectable WVSTs when a single detectable WVST is within a predetermined maximum communication range from the single AOM.

21. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 20, wherein, The single AOM is further configured as follows: The distance between the single detectable WVST and the single AOM is estimated based on the received signal strength of the corresponding advertising signal transmitted from the single detectable WVST and received by the single AOM. and The corresponding ID received from the single detectable WVST will only be forwarded to a preselected DAC for authentication if the estimated distance is within a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is selected to avoid the burden of authenticating the single detectable WVST at the preselected DAC if the corresponding worker carrying the single detectable WVST is not close to the corresponding elevator gate.

22. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 20, wherein, The single AOM is further configured as follows: Determine or obtain the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the corresponding advertising signal transmitted from a single detectable WVST and received by the single AOM; and The corresponding ID received from the single detectable WVST will only be forwarded to a preselected DAC for authentication if the RSSI is greater than a predetermined RSSI threshold. The predetermined RSSI threshold is selected to avoid the burden of authenticating the single detectable WVST at the preselected DAC when the corresponding worker carrying the single detectable WVST is not close to the corresponding elevator gate.

23. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 1, wherein, The individual WVST and the individual AOM are configured to encrypt communication between the individual WVST and the individual AOM.

24. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 1, wherein, The preselected DAC is further configured to determine a second result based on one or more additional criteria besides the ID, the one or more additional criteria including: A list of selected elevator gates that allow the corresponding workers to pass through; or A list of time periods during which the corresponding worker is allowed to access the corresponding elevator shaft.

25. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in any one of claims 1 to 24, further comprising: One or more wireless access points (WAPs) are available to connect to the Internet to wirelessly communicate with and provide Internet connectivity to the one or more DACs.

26. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 25, wherein, A single WAP is configured to support wireless communication under one or more radio protocols selected from WiFi, LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, Sigfox, RPMA, and cellular mobile communication standards.

27. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 25, further comprising: A centralized management platform (CMP) is implemented via a computing server that can connect to the Internet. The CMP can communicate with the one or more DACs via the one or more WAPs to manage the one or more DACs and provide a user interface to the site administrator. The CMP is configured to periodically update the pre-selected DACs with a list of valid IDs, which indicates specific workers authorized to enter the corresponding elevator shaft.

28. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 27, wherein: The individual WVST is configured to send vital sign data to the individual AOM; The single AOM and the pre-selected DAC are configured to relay the vital signs data to the CMP; and The CMP is configured to store the vital signs data for recording.

29. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 27, wherein, The computing server includes a database for storing worker information and access control information associated with each WVST.

30. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 27, wherein, The computing server is programmed with: An access management module is provided for managing workers' access to the one or more elevator shafts. The event management module is used to manage and respond to any security-related events reported from the one or more AOMs. as well as The system configuration module is used to manage the configuration of the one or more WVSTs, the one or more AOMs, the one or more DACs, and the one or more WAPs.

31. The elevator shaft access and safety system as described in claim 30, wherein, The computing server is a distributed server in the computing cloud.

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