Maintenance management of personnel transport system

Abstract

There is provided a method for managing maintenance of a personnel transport system (110), the method being performed by a control system (100), comprising: receiving (310) data representative of a status of the personnel transport system (110); classifying (320) a status of the personnel transport system (110) as corresponding to one of a plurality of maintenance operations; and setting (330) a detection result in accordance with the classification of the status of the personnel transport system (110) to express one of (i) a mobile robot (120) is required to perform the maintenance operation, and (ii) a manual operator is required to perform the maintenance operation. A control system (100) and a computer program are also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the technical field of personnel transport systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to the management of maintenance operations. Background Art

[0002] The different types of people movers are high-tech products made up of multiple subsystems and devices. Since people movers are developed to serve individuals in a safe manner, there is a need to keep the mover system operating at a high service level. This requires continuous maintenance of the people mover system in order to maintain its condition during the life cycle of the system.

[0003] The maintenance of personnel conveyor systems is usually arranged so that a technician enters the site of the conveyor system and performs the necessary operations thereon according to a predetermined maintenance plan. In addition, the conveyor system is equipped with internal monitoring means, by means of which the operation of the respective conveyor system can be monitored. The internal monitoring means can, for example, include sensors or the like to generate data describing the operation of the personnel conveyor system, which data are analyzed and conclusions about the operation of the system can be derived. As a result of the monitoring, notifications can be generated indicating the operation of the system, such as malfunctions. Such notifications can lead to the generation of a service request so that a technician can visit the site to perform the necessary maintenance operations.

[0004] On the other hand, autonomous moving vehicles (i.e., robots) are acquiring more and more technological capabilities that enable them to perform operations as a service, which in turn allows the utilization of robots in various environments.

[0005] It is well known that maintenance operations are highly variable in nature, and dispatching technicians on site can lead to maintenance delays, but also incur costs, especially if the maintenance request is generated by an error in the monitoring system, and / or the like. Therefore, there is room for introducing novel approaches in the maintenance area in order to optimize the execution of maintenance operations. Summary of the invention

[0006] A simplified overview is presented below to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of various inventive embodiments. This overview is not a broad overview of the present invention. It is neither intended to identify key or important elements of the present invention nor to describe the scope of the present invention. The following overview only presents some concepts of the present invention in a simplified form as a preface to a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0007] The object of the invention is to propose a method, a control system and a computer program for managing the maintenance of a personnel conveyor system.

[0008] The objects of the invention are achieved by a method, a control system and a computer program as defined by the respective independent claims.

[0009] According to a first aspect, there is provided a method for managing maintenance of a human conveyor system, the method being performed by a control system, comprising:

[0010] receiving data indicating a status of the personnel conveyor system,

[0011] classifying the state of the personnel transport system as corresponding to one of a plurality of maintenance operations, the plurality of maintenance operations comprising at least a plurality of mobile robot-manageable maintenance operations and a plurality of human-manageable maintenance operations,

[0012] According to the classification of the status of the personnel transportation system, the detection result is set to express one of the following: (i) a mobile robot is required to perform the maintenance operation, (ii) a human operator is required to perform the maintenance operation.

[0013] For example, data indicating the status of the personnel transportation system may be received from at least one of: a controller of the personnel transportation system; at least one sensor arranged to measure at least one parameter describing the operation of the personnel transportation system; a safety circuit of the personnel transportation system; a remote service center of the personnel transportation system.

[0014] The received data may include fault codes in the data describing the status of the people moving system.

[0015] Furthermore, the classification may include comparing a number of parameters describing the status of the people moving system to corresponding parameters associated with each of the plurality of maintenance operations.

[0016] The method may further include, in response to setting the detection result as indicating that the mobile robot is required to perform a maintenance operation, the following steps:

[0017] selecting the mobile robot to perform the maintenance operation,

[0018] A control signal is generated to the selected mobile robot so that the maintenance operation is performed.

[0019] The selection of the mobile robot may be performed, for example, based on the capabilities of the mobile robot with respect to the maintenance operation. The capabilities of the mobile robot may be defined based on the technical capabilities of the mobile robot to perform the maintenance operation. The capabilities of the mobile robot may be further defined based on the availability of the mobile robot to perform the maintenance operation at a predetermined moment.

[0020] Furthermore, the method may further include, in response to setting the detection result to indicate that a maintenance operation is required to be performed by a human operator, the following steps:

[0021] Selecting a human operator to perform said maintenance operation,

[0022] A control signal is generated to the selected human operator's terminal device so that the maintenance operation is performed.

[0023] The selection of the human operator may be performed based on the human operator's capabilities with respect to maintenance operations.

[0024] According to a second aspect, there is provided a control system for managing maintenance of a personnel conveyor system, the control system being configured as follows:

[0025] receiving data indicating a status of the personnel conveyor system,

[0026] classifying the state of the personnel transport system as corresponding to one of a plurality of maintenance operations, the plurality of maintenance operations comprising at least a plurality of mobile robot-manageable maintenance operations and a plurality of human-manageable maintenance operations,

[0027] According to the classification of the status of the personnel transportation system, the detection result is set to express one of the following: (i) a mobile robot is required to perform the maintenance operation, (ii) a human operator is required to perform the maintenance operation.

[0028] The control system can be configured to receive data indicating the status of the personnel transportation system from at least one of: a controller of the personnel transportation system; at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being arranged to measure at least one parameter describing the operation of the personnel transportation system; a safety circuit of the personnel transportation system; a remote service center of the personnel transportation system.

[0029] For example, the control system may be configured to detect a fault code in the received data including data describing a status of the people moving system.

[0030] The control system may be configured to perform the classification by comparing a number of parameters describing the state of the people moving system to corresponding parameters associated with each of the plurality of maintenance operations.

[0031] Furthermore, the control system may be further configured to, in response to setting the detection result as expressing that the mobile robot needs to perform a maintenance operation, perform the following steps:

[0032] selecting the mobile robot to perform the maintenance operation,

[0033] A control signal is generated to the selected mobile robot so that the maintenance operation is performed.

[0034] The control system may be configured to perform the selection of the mobile robot based on the capabilities of the mobile robot relative to the maintenance operation. The control system may, for example, be configured to define the capabilities of the mobile robot based on the technical capabilities of the mobile robot to perform the maintenance operation. The control system may further be configured to define the capabilities of the mobile robot based on the availability of the mobile robot to perform the maintenance operation at a predetermined moment.

[0035] The control system may also be configured to, in response to setting the detection result to indicate that the maintenance operation is required to be performed by the human operator, perform the following steps:

[0036] Selecting a human operator to perform said maintenance operation,

[0037] A control signal is generated to the terminal device of the selected human operator so that the maintenance operation is performed.

[0038] The control system may also be configured to perform the selection of an operator based on the human operator's capabilities with respect to maintenance operations.

[0039] According to a third aspect, there is provided a computer program comprising computer readable program code, the computer program being configured to cause the method according to the first aspect as defined above to be performed when the computer readable program code is run on one or more computing devices.

[0040] The expression "a number" refers herein to any positive integer from one, for example to one, two or three.

[0041] The expression "plurality" herein refers to any positive integer starting from two, for example to two, three or four.

[0042] Various exemplary and non-limiting embodiments of the invention, both as to constructions and methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific exemplary and non-limiting embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0043] The verbs "comprise" and "include" are used in this document as open limitations, which neither exclude nor require the existence of unrecited features. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the features recited in the dependent claims are mutually freely combinable. Furthermore, it should be understood that the use of "a" or "an" (i.e. the singular form) throughout this document does not exclude a plurality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Figure 1 An example of a system is schematically illustrated.

[0046] Figure 2An example of a mobile robot is schematically illustrated.

[0047] Figure 3 An example of a method is schematically illustrated.

[0048] Figure 4 An example of a data structure is schematically shown.

[0049] Figure 5 Other aspects related to the method are schematically shown.

[0050] Figure 6 Further aspects relating to the method are schematically shown.

[0051] Figure 7 An example of a control system is schematically shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The specific examples provided in the description given below should not be construed as limiting the scope and / or applicability of the appended claims.The lists and groups of examples provided in the description given below are not exhaustive unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0053] Figure 1An example of a system in which the present invention may be implemented is schematically shown. The system comprises a control system 100, which is communicatively connected to at least one personnel transport system 110, which is arranged to operate at a site 130, such as in a building or in a ship. The personnel transport system may refer to an elevator system, an escalator and / or a moving walkway. The site 130 may also be equipped with at least one mobile robot 120, or at least the site may be accessed by at least one mobile robot 120, even if the site is not permanently equipped with a mobile robot 120. At least one mobile robot 120 is also at least communicatively connected to the control system 100, but they may also be directly or indirectly communicatively connected to each other or directly or indirectly communicatively connected to any other system as listed in the upcoming description. A communication connection may be established directly with the control system 100, for example by arranging at least a portion of the communication connection wirelessly. Alternatively or additionally, the communication connection of the mobile robot 120 on site may be arranged on the personnel transport system 110, so that the mobile robot 120 is communicatively connected to an entity (e.g., a controller) of the personnel transport system 110, and thus, the mobile robot 120 can communicate with the control system 100 through the transport system 110. In addition, the control system 100 can be communicatively connected to a terminal device 140 of a person, who is referred to herein as a technician, wherein the technician can be required to perform maintenance tasks on the personnel transport system 110 when necessary. The communication connection between the control system 100 and the terminal device 140 can be at least partially realized by utilizing one or more wireless communication technologies. The terminal device 140 can be, for example, any handheld device, such as a mobile terminal, a tablet computer, or a laptop computer.

[0054] The control system 100 configured to perform the method in a manner as described in the following description may be a computing device configured to process data. In some example embodiments, the control system 100 may be implemented with a plurality of computing devices arranged to implement distributed computing. Figure 1 In some exemplary embodiments, the control system 100 is indicated as residing remotely from the site, but the computing system 100 may reside on site. Furthermore, the processes according to the present invention may be implemented by any other device other than a dedicated control system 100. For example, in some exemplary embodiments, the control system 100 may be integrated into a controller of the personnel transport system 110. Alternatively or additionally, the control system 100 may be communicatively connected to one or more other systems, such as a service center for the personnel transport system, a building / site management system (see residential building management system, hospital management system, factory management system, ship management system, etc.), a robot management system such as maintained by a robot manufacturer.

[0055] As already mentioned, the site 130 may be served by at least one mobile robot 120 . Figure 2 An example of a mobile robot 120 is schematically illustrated in FIG. A mobile robot 120 in the context of the present invention is understood to be an autonomous or semi-autonomous mobile vehicle that is suitable for traveling in a site 130 and performing one or more maintenance operations, such as cleaning and similar operations. The mobile robot 120 may include at least the following entities: a processing unit 210, a memory unit 220, a communication unit 230, a user interface (UI) unit 240, a sensor unit 250, a motor unit 260, and a tool unit. The mentioned entities may include one or more operating units (e.g., one or more microprocessors or the like), one or more memories, one or more communication devices (such as modems), one or more user interface devices, one or more sensors, and one or more motors and other components of the corresponding entities (if any). In addition to the mentioned entities, the mobile robot 120 may also include further devices and entities, such as batteries for storing energy to be used by other entities. The entities belonging to the mobile robot 120 may be communicatively coupled to each other using, for example, a communication bus.

[0056] From an operational point of view, the processing unit 210 may be configured to control the operation of the mobile robot 120 and the communication with external entities, for example, in a manner as described in the upcoming description. Communication with external entities (such as with the control system 100) may be performed, for example, in a wireless manner. The sensor unit 250 may include any sensor by means of which the mobile robot 120 can obtain information about the environment, wherein non-limiting examples of sensors may be cameras, radars, lidars, etc. In addition, the sensor unit 250 may include sensors that enable positioning and / or navigation within the location. This may refer to devices that enable the use of one or more indoor positioning systems (e.g., those implemented at the site 130) and / or devices that enable outdoor positioning. For the sake of completeness, it is worth mentioning that, in some embodiments, positioning may be based on communications implemented on the communication interface 230 of the mobile robot 120. The processing unit 210 may also be configured to generate control signals to the motor unit 260 so as to move the mobile robot 110. In addition, the mobile robot 120 may include means that enable the robot to move, such as any applicable transportation means, such as wheels with other required elements and devices. Furthermore, the mobile robot 120 may include one or more tools belonging to the tool unit 270, which enable the mobile robot 120 to perform operations for the purposes of the present invention. The tools may refer to entities capable of performing maintenance operations at the site 130, in particular with respect to the personnel transport system 110. As some non-limiting examples of tools that may be implemented in the mobile robot 120, a robot arm that allows physical interaction with at least some entities (e.g. with operating buttons) may be mentioned. The robot arm may also be equipped with various devices and tools, such as gripping tools, image capture devices, cleaning tools (e.g. brushes), screwdrivers, chisels, electrical testers (voltage, current), pneumatic tools for outputting pressurized air, for example, etc.

[0057] The operation of the processing unit 210 can be implemented by executing parts of a computer program code stored, for example, in the memory unit 220, for generating control signals and thus causing the mobile robot 120 to operate in a desired manner. The memory unit 220 can also be used to store permanently or temporarily the information obtained and received and any other data. Further, it is worth mentioning that, as already mentioned, the communication unit 230 can include a number of devices configured to implement the selected communication technology, preferably in a wireless manner, so as to enable the mobile robot 120 to communicate with various parties.

[0058] In some example embodiments, the mobile robot 120 may be communicatively connected to the robot controller ( Figure 1100). The robot controller may be a computing device that generates control signals to the mobile robots 120 and may receive signals from the mobile robots 120. Additionally, the robot controller may be communicatively connected to other entities, such as the control system 100 or even a controller of the personnel transport system 110. However, in view of the present invention, embodiments in which the control system 100 may communicate directly with one or more mobile robots 120 are advantageous.

[0059] In the event that a site 130 is served by a plurality of mobile robots 120, the capabilities of the mobile robots 120 may differ from one another. For example, this may mean that the mobile robots 120 are provided with different tools. For the purposes of the present invention, the control system 100 may be provided with access to a data storage device arranged to store data defining the capabilities of the mobile robots 120. For example, the data may be stored in a database in which the mobile robots 120 list their capabilities on a robot-by-robot basis.

[0060] By reference Figure 3 To describe the following other aspects of the present invention, Figure 3 A method according to an example embodiment is schematically shown. The purpose of the method is to enable management of maintenance of the personnel transport system 110. Management of maintenance of the personnel transport system 110, ie the method, may be performed by the control system 100 in the examples described herein.

[0061] First, the control system 100 receives 310 data indicating a state of the personnel transport system 110. The data may refer to any data, based on which information about the operation of the personnel transport system 110 can be derived. In particular, the data may refer to data describing a fault of the personnel transport system 110 or the operation of the personnel transport system, for example, data obtained by a test procedure executable by the personnel transport system 110. In its simplest form, it may include a fault code of an entity in the personnel transport system 110 in which a fault occurred. Alternatively or additionally, it may be other data belonging to the personnel transport system 110, such as measurement data obtained with sensors, or similar data obtained, for example, by the above-mentioned test procedure, and the data is analyzed by the control system 100 in a predetermined manner to determine the type of state of the transport system 110, such as the type of fault of the personnel transport system 110. For the sake of completeness, it is worth mentioning that the data may be received by the control system 100 directly from a sensor or from a control unit configured to control the entity causing the fault. Alternatively or additionally, data may be received from a safety circuit of the people conveyor system 110, if such a safety circuit is present and arranged to generate data suitable for the purposes of the present invention, such as a fault code as described above.

[0062] As non-limiting examples, data describing the status of the people moving system 110 may include data received from various sources of the people moving system 110 in question. Depending on the type of people moving system, data may be obtained or received from one or more of the following sources: limit switches, drives (see frequency converters), in-car sensors (see cameras, lidar, radar), light curtains arranged on doorways, DOP / COP HMI devices, door actuator controllers, accelerometers attached to elevator cars / elevator doors / conveyor mechanisms, comb plates. In addition, such data may be obtained from a remote service center system, for example, configured to schedule the operation of the people moving system, etc.

[0063] In response to receiving the data, a classification 320 operation is performed. The classification 320 operation may be performed based on the received data or data processed from the received data. In the classification 320, the state of the personnel transportation system 110 that may be defined from the received data is classified 320 to correspond to a maintenance operation from a plurality of maintenance operations. In other words, the classification 320 may be understood as a process in which the state of the personnel transportation system 110 is mapped to maintenance operations related to the state of the personnel transportation system 110, which allows a party to determine an action to be taken with respect to the state of the personnel transportation system 110.

[0064] In view of the foregoing, classification 320 may be implemented such that the status of personnel transport system 110 is associated with a predefined maintenance operation. Figure 4 As shown schematically in Figure 4 As shown, the maintenance operations are linked to at least two categories, wherein the first category represents operations that can be performed by at least one mobile robot 120, and the second category represents operations that require human labor (e.g., technicians) to perform. Figure 4 Before performing a selection between states of the transport system 110 (labelled as operation 1, operation 2, operation 3 etc. in the figures), it may be arranged that the control system 100 is configured to perform filtering out such states of the transport system 110 as represent a so-called normal state, i.e. the personnel transport system 110 operates as expected, or one of the maintenance operations corresponds to not performing the operation to which such state of the transport system 110 is linked. Now, in response to receiving 310 data describing a state of the personnel transport system 110 (state 1, state 2, state 3, ..., state N), the control system 100 is configured to find a maintenance operation corresponding to the state of the transport system 110. This may be achieved by comparing a number of parameters that may be derived from the received data and that represent the state with corresponding parameters associated with the maintenance operation. In response to a match with a predefined degree of accuracy, it may be derived whether the maintenance operation in question may be performed by the mobile robot 120 at the service site 130 or by a human operator based on e.g. Figure 4Therefore, in the classification 320 step, the control system 100 is configured to classify the state of the personnel transportation system as corresponding to a maintenance operation in a plurality of maintenance operations, wherein the plurality of maintenance operations include at least a plurality of mobile robot manageable maintenance operations and a plurality of manually manageable maintenance operations.

[0065] The classification operation can be implemented by configuring the control system 100 to perform a comparison of predefined parameters with reference data according to predefined rules. This method can be implemented by programming the classification model as a static model for the task. In some other embodiments, the classification operation can be established by training an applied machine learning model for the task. The training of the model can be performed, for example, automatically or semi-automatically. As a result of the training, the machine learning model is able to perform classification, and the operational data can be used for further training of the model.

[0066] In response to the classification 320 or the described determination, the control system 100 is configured to set 330 the detection result to express one of the following based on the classification of the status of the personnel transportation system in the described manner: (i) a mobile robot is required to perform the maintenance operation, (ii) a human operator is required to perform the maintenance operation. The detection result can be represented by an applicable indicator, for example, a corresponding indicator is generated and stored in a memory accessible to the control system 100. Alternatively or additionally, a signal can be generated in which signal data indicating the detection result can be included. The signal can, for example, be a control signal and is generated to an entity corresponding to the detection result, i.e., the mobile robot 120 or the technician's terminal device 140, wherein the detection result can use any additional information included in the control signal to prompt the corresponding party to take action regarding the status of the personnel transportation system 110.

[0067] In embodiments where a plurality of mobile robots 120 are deployed to service site 130 , the method according to the present invention may continue with further steps. Figure 5A continued example of a method according to a result in which it is detected that a defined maintenance operation is manageable by the mobile robot 120 is schematically shown. In step 510, a mobile robot 120 is selected to be responsible for the maintenance operation determined during the classification 320. The selection of the mobile robot 120 may correspond to an operation, wherein in response to the determination of the maintenance operation, data defining the requirements required to be able to handle the maintenance operation in question is obtained from the mobile robot 120. The data defining the requirements of the mobile robot 120 may include aspects related to the movement of the mobile robot 120, aspects related to communication capabilities, aspects related to tools of the mobile robot 120, aspects related to sensors of the mobile robot 120, aspects related to the availability of the mobile robot 120 at a predefined moment, and the like. In other words, the capabilities of the mobile robot 120 may be determined primarily based on the technical capabilities of the mobile robot 120 to meet the requirements, but as a secondary criterion, the availability of the mobile robot 120 with the technical capabilities at a predefined moment may be used. The acquisition of the data may correspond to receiving data from a data record defining the maintenance operation, wherein the data record is provided with such data. With the data, a query to a data memory storing the definition of the mobile robot 110 may be generated, and a response received. The response may include data defining one or more suitable mobile robots 120 for the operation in question, and the control system 100 may generate a control signal to the selected mobile robot 110 to request that the corresponding maintenance operation be performed. In some example embodiments, the data of the response to the query may also define the communication address of the mobile robot 110 to enable communication.

[0068] Figure 6 A continued example of a method according to the result that a defined maintenance operation is manually manageable is schematically shown. In step 610, the selection of a manual operator is performed. The selection of a manual operator (i.e., a technician) can be performed using a query to a data storage device configured to store data of a manual operator. The data can, for example, define the experience of the technician, but other data, such as the availability of the technician, can also be defined. Therefore, the query can define at least some information describing the maintenance operation, which enables the manual operator with the necessary ability to perform the maintenance operation to be found. In addition, the query can define an indicator of the urgency of the maintenance task, which can then be used together with the availability information of the technician. By using predefined criteria, a response to the query is received, wherein the response defines that at least one technician is responsible for the maintenance operation. The response can also include contact data of the technician so as to enable the generation of a control signal 620 to the terminal device 140 of the corresponding technician to request service.

[0069] like Figure 6 The continuation of the method shown in can also be applied in Figure 5In other words, if it is detected that no mobile robot 120 is suitable for implementing the determined maintenance operation, or it is not available in the required time window, then according to the detection result of step 330, the maintenance operation is changed from requiring the mobile robot 120 to perform the maintenance operation to requiring a human operator to perform the maintenance operation. This enables the control system 100 to perform the maintenance operation according to the following example. Figure 5 The method schematically shown in performs the selection of the human operator.

[0070] Next, an example is described in which the method according to the foregoing description is applied. The field of application in the example may be an elevator door, which comprises a plurality of units enabling the door to move. Thus, the control system 100 according to the invention may receive 310 data indicating the state of the elevator door as data describing the state of the conveying system 110. The data may, for example, comprise data representing the position of the door and a fault code, wherein the fault code describes that the elevator door cannot be closed, and the position data of the door describes the position when closing is prevented. For the purpose of description, it may be assumed that in a first example, when the door is fully open, the position of the door is the same as the starting position, i.e., no closing of the door occurs at all. In a second example, the position of the door may be close to fully closed, but the door remains open for several centimeters. In response to receiving 310 data describing the first example, i.e., a fault code indicating a fault in the elevator door and a position indicating that closing does not start at all, the control system 100 may detect, based on a comparison with data indicating a different fault condition, that the door motor generating the force for the operation of the elevator door has been damaged, which prevents the door from closing. This fault condition is associated with a maintenance operation defining the requirement to repair the motor, which generally corresponds to the replacement of the door motor. The maintenance operation in question is classified as manageable by a human operator and such detection result can be set 330. Figure 6As another step shown, the control system 100 may initiate the selection 610 of a technician from the data structure who is able to immediately repair the door motor, since a maintenance operation is immediately required in order to return the elevator to operation as quickly as possible. In response to selecting the technician, a control signal may be generated 620. On the other hand, if the received data indicates that the elevator door begins to close, but stops when approaching full closure, as defined above as a second example, the control system 100, by evaluating the position of the door at the end of the closure and the fault code, may detect that the cause of the situation is a foreign object in the path of the elevator door, such as a stone in the track of the door. Such a fault may be overcome by a maintenance operation in which the foreign object is removed from the path, and such an operation is described as an operation manageable by the mobile robot. In other words, the control system 100 ends by classifying 320 the maintenance operation as manageable by the mobile robot 120, and setting 330 such a detection result. Following such a detection result, the control system 100 may be configured to select 510 the mobile robot 120 for the defined maintenance operation. The selection 510 may include finding a mobile robot 120 that is able to move and has a predefined tool for removing the foreign object from the path of the door. The tool can be, for example, a device mounted to a robotic arm that is capable of providing pressurized air to the cleaning area in order to remove foreign objects from a doorway. In response to finding such a mobile robot 120, a control signal can be generated 520, wherein the control signal can define, for example, a position when the elevator car is stationary and the door is not closed, and details about the maintenance task. In addition, in some embodiments, the mobile robot 120 can be communicatively connected to a remote site, such as to a data center, from which an operator can follow the cleaning operation, for example, from a video stream generated by the mobile robot 120. The remote operator can also control the mobile robot 120 if it is seen that it is necessary to complete the task. The examples described herein are very simplified examples, and more complex methods can be developed by increasing the granularity of the definitions describing the fault conditions, which enables more accurate definition of the required maintenance tasks.

[0071] As already mentioned, aspects of the invention described herein are primarily described by reference to a control entity such as Figure 7 As already mentioned, the functionality of the control system 100 can also be integrated into another computing device. Figure 7 Schematically illustrates an example of a device that can be configured to implement the operation of a computing device and thus the operation of the control system 100. In other words, the control system 100 can be configured to perform the method according to the present invention as described by the example in the previous description. In other words, Figure 7 The device may be configured to perform the function of managing the maintenance of the personnel conveyor system 110. For the sake of clarity, it is worth mentioning that Figure 7The block diagrams depict some of the physical components that can be used to implement the functionality of the device.

[0072] Figure 7 The device includes a processor 710 and a memory 720. The memory 720 can store data, such as the data fragments described, but can also store a computer program code 725 that causes maintenance management in the described manner. The device can also include a communication interface 730, such as a wireless communication interface or a communication interface for wired communication, or both, to communicate with the other entities described. Therefore, the communication interface 730 can include one or more modems, antennas, and any other hardware and software for enabling, for example, to perform communication under the control of the processor 710. In addition, an I / O (input / output) component can be arranged together with a part of the processor 710 and the computer program code 725 to provide a user interface for receiving input from a user (such as from a technician) and / or providing an output to the user of the device when necessary. In particular, the user I / O component can include a user input device, such as one or more keys or buttons, a keyboard, a touch screen or a touch pad, etc. The user I / O component can include an output device, such as a speaker, a display, or a touch screen. The components of the device can be connected to each other via a data bus for communication, and the data bus realizes the transmission of data and control information between the components.

[0073] The memory 720 and at least a portion of the computer program code 725 stored therein may also be arranged to, together with the processor 710, cause the device to perform at least a portion of the method as described herein. The processor 710 may be configured to read from and write to the memory 720. Although the processor 710 is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as a respective one or more separate processing components. Similarly, although the memory 720 is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as a respective one or more separate components, some or all of which may be integrated / removable and / or may provide permanent / semi-permanent / dynamic / cached storage.

[0074] The computer program code 725 may include computer executable instructions that implement functions corresponding to the steps implemented in the method when loaded into the processor 710 of the corresponding control system 100. As an example, the computer program code 725 may include a computer program consisting of one or more sequences of one or more instructions. The processor 710 is capable of loading and executing the computer program by reading one or more sequences of one or more instructions included therein from the memory 720. The one or more sequences of one or more instructions may be configured to cause the device to perform the method as described when executed by the processor 710. Therefore, the device may include at least one processor 710 and at least one memory 720, the at least one memory 720 including computer program code 725 for one or more programs, the at least one memory 720 and the computer program code 725 configured to, together with the at least one processor 710, cause the device implementing the control system 100 to perform the method.

[0075] The computer program code 725 may be provided as, for example, a computer program product including at least one computer-readable non-transitory medium having the computer program code 725 stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor 710, causes the apparatus to perform the method. The computer-readable non-transitory medium may include a memory device or a recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, or another article of manufacture that tangibly embodies the computer program. As another example, the computer program may be provided as a signal configured to reliably transmit the computer program.

[0076] Furthermore, the computer program code 725 may include proprietary applications, such as computer program code for causing the execution of the method in the manner as described in the description herein.

[0077] Any programming functions mentioned may also be performed in firmware or hardware adapted or programmed to perform the necessary tasks.

[0078] For the sake of completeness, it is worth mentioning that the entity executing the method in the role of the control system 100 can also be implemented by multiple devices, such as Figure 7 The devices schematically shown in the figure are used as a distributed computing environment corresponding to the control system. For example, one of the devices can be communicatively connected to the other devices and, for example, share data of the method to enable the other device to perform at least one other part of the method. As a result, the method performed in the distributed computing environment generates control signals indicating the allocation of responsibilities as described. For example, some steps of the method can be shared, for example, between the control system 100, the elevator controller and the robot controller.

[0079] The solution according to the invention allows to manage maintenance operations of a people conveyor system in a way that increases efficiency and leads to cost savings. In the context of the present invention, the term "maintenance operation" is to be understood in a broad manner and covers both any such operation in which a maintenance operation solves a fault and any operation in which the status of a people conveyor system requires the generation of additional data, for example by performing a test operation or any similar operation.

[0080] The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and / or interpretation of the appended claims.The lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless expressly stated otherwise.

Claims

1. A method for managing maintenance of a personnel conveying system (110), the method being performed by a control system (100), comprising: receiving (310) data indicative of a status of the people moving system (110), classifying (320) the state of the personnel transport system (110) as corresponding to a maintenance operation of a plurality of maintenance operations, the plurality of maintenance operations comprising at least a plurality of maintenance operations manageable by a mobile robot (120) and a plurality of maintenance operations manageable by a human operator, The detection result is set (330) according to the classification of the status of the personnel transportation system (110) to indicate one of the following: (i) a mobile robot (120) is required to perform the maintenance operation, and (ii) a human operator is required to perform the maintenance operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Data indicative of a status of the people transport system (110) is received from at least one of: a controller of the people transport system (110); at least one sensor arranged to measure at least one parameter describing the operation of the people transport system (110); a safety circuit of the people transport system (110); a remote service center of the people transport system (110).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The received data includes a fault code in the data describing a status of the people moving system (110).

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The classification (320) includes comparing a number of parameters describing a state of the people mover system (110) to corresponding parameters associated with each of the plurality of maintenance operations.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: In response to setting the detection result to indicate that the mobile robot (120) is required to perform the maintenance operation, the method further comprises the following steps: selecting (510) a mobile robot (120) to perform the maintenance operation, A control signal is generated (520) to the selected mobile robot (120) to cause the maintenance operation to be performed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selecting (510) of the mobile robot (120) is performed based on capabilities of the mobile robot (120) with respect to the maintenance operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the capabilities of the mobile robot (120) are defined based on the technical capabilities of the mobile robot (120) to perform the maintenance operation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the capabilities of the mobile robot (120) are further limited based on the availability of the mobile robot (120) to perform the maintenance operation at a predetermined time.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, wherein in response to setting the detection result to indicate that the human operator is required to perform the maintenance operation, the method further comprises the following steps: selecting (610) a human operator to perform the maintenance operation, A control signal is generated (620) to the selected human operator's terminal device (140) to cause the maintenance operation to be performed.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The selection of a human operator is performed based on the capabilities of the human operator relative to the maintenance operation (610).

11. A control system (100) for managing maintenance of a personnel conveying system (110), the control system (100) being configured as follows: receiving (310) data indicative of a status of the people moving system (110), classifying (320) the state of the personnel transport system (110) as corresponding to a maintenance operation of a plurality of maintenance operations, the plurality of maintenance operations comprising at least a plurality of maintenance operations manageable by a mobile robot (120) and a plurality of maintenance operations manageable by a human operator, The detection result is set (330) according to the classification of the status of the personnel transportation system (110) to indicate one of the following: (i) a mobile robot (120) is required to perform the maintenance operation, and (ii) a human operator is required to perform the maintenance operation.

12. The control system (100) according to claim 11, wherein: The control system (100) is configured to receive data indicative of a status of the people transport system (110) from at least one of: a controller of the people transport system (110); at least one sensor arranged to measure at least one parameter describing the operation of the people transport system (110); a safety circuit of the people transport system (110); or a remote service center of the people transport system (110).

13. The control system (100) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The control system (100) is configured to detect a fault code in the received data including data describing a status of the people moving system (110).

14. The control system (100) according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein: The control system (100) is configured to perform the classification (320) by comparing a number of parameters describing a state of the people moving system (110) with corresponding parameters associated with each of the plurality of maintenance operations.

15. The control system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 11 to 14, wherein the control system (100) is further configured to, in response to setting the detection result to indicate that the mobile robot (120) is required to perform the maintenance operation, perform the following steps: selecting (510) a mobile robot (120) to perform the maintenance operation, A control signal is generated (520) to the selected mobile robot (120) to cause the maintenance operation to be performed.

16. The control system (100) of claim 15, wherein the control system (100) is configured to perform the selection (510) of the mobile robot (120) based on the capabilities of the mobile robot (120) with respect to the maintenance operation.

17. The control system (100) of claim 16, wherein the control system (100) is configured to define the capabilities of the mobile robot (120) based on a technical capability definition of the mobile robot (120) to perform the maintenance operation.

18. The control system (100) of claim 17, wherein the control system (100) is further configured to define the capabilities of the mobile robot (120) based on the availability of the mobile robot (120) to perform the maintenance operation at a predetermined time.

19. The control system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 11 to 14, wherein the control system (100) is further configured to: in response to setting the detection result to indicate that the human operator is required to perform the maintenance operation, perform the following steps: selecting (610) a human operator to perform the maintenance operation, A control signal is generated (620) to the selected human operator's terminal device (140) to cause the maintenance operation to be performed.

20. The control system (100) of claim 19, wherein the control system (100) is configured to perform the selection (610) of a human operator based on the human operator's capabilities with respect to the maintenance operation.

21. A computer program comprising computer readable program code configured to cause the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 to be performed when the computer readable program code is run on one or more computing devices.

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