Escalator clamping detection system

Abstract

An escalator system is provided and includes: a rail comprising a skirt having a brush; a moving step, the moving step being drivable to move along the rail in the conveying direction to form a step-apron interface between the end of the brush of the apron and a corresponding side of the moving step; and a pinch monitoring and detection system. The pinch monitoring and detection system includes a sensor and a processor. A sensor is disposed at the step-apron interface and is configured to sense an object present at the step-apron interface. The processor is configured to determine whether the sensor senses that an object is present at the step-apron interface for a predetermined time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to escalator systems, and more particularly to systems and methods providing LiDAR-based entrapment detection. Background Art

[0002] People conveying devices such as escalators and moving walkways generally include a conveyor belt, a drive machine that drives the conveyor belt to move, comb plates located at each landing area, railings on both sides of the conveyor belt, and outer skirts, and the conveyor belt moves between relative landing areas with people standing on the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt can be configured to form a plurality of moving steps that move between relative landing areas. Each of the moving steps can have a surface including a clamping plate and a groove. The comb plates are arranged at the relative landing areas. Each comb plate includes teeth that extend into the grooves of the conveyor belt surface when the conveyor belt moves relative to each comb plate and the clamping plate moves along each of the teeth. The outer skirts are supported on the railings on both sides of the conveyor belt between the landing areas. The outer skirts are usually fixed relative to the moving steps.

[0003] The interface between each moving step and the fixed outer skirt on an escalator has long been a safety hazard of entrapment due to the relative motion of the moving step and the fixed outer skirt. One approach to addressing this, but not necessarily solving the problem, is to use brushes on the fixed outer skirt to make passengers aware of the possibility of entrapment.

[0004] Therefore, since the use of brushes does not solve the problem of pinching between the moving steps and the outer skirt of an escalator, a system and method is needed that provides detection of potential / imminent step-skirt pinching and focused and targeted warning to avoid actual pinching. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an escalator system is provided and includes: a railing including a skirt with a brush; a moving step that can be driven to move along the railing in a conveying direction to form a step-skirt interface between an end of the brush of the skirt and a corresponding side of the moving step; and a clamping monitoring and detection system. The clamping monitoring and detection system includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor is disposed at the step-skirt interface and is configured to sense an object present at the step-skirt interface. The processor is configured to determine whether the sensor senses that an object is present at the step-skirt interface for a predetermined time.

[0006] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor includes a plurality of sensors sensing in the same direction or in multiple directions.

[0007] According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the sensor is a LiDAR sensor.

[0008] According to an additional or alternative embodiment, the sensor is a RADAR sensor.

[0009] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor is a camera.

[0010] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor is one or more of: a LiDAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, or a camera.

[0011] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor is configured to perform periodic sensing and is further configured to generate a signal that can be received and read by the processor during the periodic sensing. When no object is present at the step-skirt interface, the signal is a first signal and reflects a predetermined length along the railing for which the sensor is responsible. When the object is present at the step-skirt interface for less than a predetermined time, the signal deviates from the first signal and lasts for less than a predetermined time. When the object is present at the step-skirt interface for at least a predetermined time, the signal deviates from the first signal and lasts for at least a predetermined time.

[0012] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the escalator system further comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged along the railing and controllable by the entrapment monitoring and detection system to illuminate in response to the processor determining that the sensor senses the presence of an object at the step-skirt interface for a predetermined time.

[0013] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the processor is further configured to determine that a entrapment event is occurring or is about to occur based on a positive determination that the sensor senses the presence of an object at the step-skirt interface for a predetermined time and to take mitigation measures accordingly, and the mitigation measures include at least one or more of the following: activating a warning light that emits a first color, activating a warning light that emits a second color, and braking or slowing down the escalator system.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an escalator system is provided and includes railings, each railing including a skirt with a brush; moving steps that can be driven to move between the railings in a conveying direction to form a step-skirt interface between the end of each brush and the corresponding side of the moving step; and a clamping monitoring and detection system. The clamping monitoring and detection system includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor is disposed at each step-skirt interface and is configured to sense an object present at each step-skirt interface. The processor is configured to determine whether any sensor senses that an object is present at any step-skirt interface for a predetermined time, to determine that a clamping event is occurring or is about to occur based on a positive determination that any sensor senses that an object is present at any step-skirt interface for a predetermined time, and to take mitigation measures accordingly.

[0015] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor at each step-skirt interface includes multiple sensors sensing in the same direction or multiple directions.

[0016] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor at each step-skirt interface is a LiDAR sensor.

[0017] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor at each step-skirt interface is a RADAR sensor.

[0018] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor at each step-skirt interface is a camera device.

[0019] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor at each step-skirt interface is one or more of: a LiDAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, or a camera.

[0020] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the sensor at each step-skirt interface is configured to perform periodic sensing and is further configured to generate a signal that can be received and read by the processor during the periodic sensing. When no object is present at any step-skirt interface, the signal of each sensor is a first signal and reflects a predetermined length along the railing for which each sensor is responsible. When an object is present at any step-skirt interface for less than a predetermined time, the signal of the corresponding sensor deviates from the first signal and lasts for less than a predetermined time. When an object is present at any step-skirt interface for at least a predetermined time, the signal of the corresponding sensor deviates from the first signal and lasts for at least a predetermined time.

[0021] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the escalator system further comprises a light emitting diode (LED) arranged along each of the handrails and controllable by the entrapment monitoring and detection system to illuminate in response to the processor determining that the sensor senses the presence of an object at the step-skirt interface for a predetermined time.

[0022] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the processor is further configured to determine that a entrapment event is occurring or is about to occur and take mitigation measures accordingly based on a positive determination that any sensor senses that an object is present at the corresponding step-skirt interface for a predetermined time, and the mitigation measures include at least one or more of the following: activating a warning light that emits a first color, activating a warning light that emits a second color, and braking or slowing down the escalator system.

[0023] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating a entrapment monitoring and detection system for an escalator system is provided, in which a moving step passes over an end of a brush of a railing at a step-skirt interface. The method includes scanning the step-skirt interface, determining whether a result of the scan indicates an object at the step-skirt interface, determining whether a result of the scan indicates that the object at the step-skirt interface persists for a predetermined time, and determining that an entrapment is occurring or is about to occur based on a result of the scan indicating that the object at the step-skirt interface persists for the predetermined time.

[0024] According to additional or alternative embodiments, the method further comprises taking mitigation measures to address the ongoing or impending entrapment, and the mitigation measures comprise at least one or more of: activating a warning light emitting a first color, activating a warning light emitting a second color, and braking or slowing the escalator system.

[0025] Additional features and advantages are achieved through the technology of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the present disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered to be part of the claimed technical concept. In order to better understand the advantages and features of the present disclosure, reference is made to the specification and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:

[0027] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an escalator system according to an embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an escalator system with an entrapment monitoring and detection system according to an embodiment;

[0029] Figure 3 is a perspective view of an escalator system with an entrapment monitoring and detection system according to an embodiment;

[0030] Figure 4 According to the embodiment Figure 2 and Figure 3 A top view of the sensor arrangement of the clamping monitoring and detection system;

[0031] Figure 5 According to the embodiment Figure 2 and Figure 3 A perspective view of components of a clamp-on monitoring and detection system;

[0032] Figure 6 Is has Figure 2-5 A graphical depiction of the operation of an escalator system of an entrapment monitoring and detection system;

[0033] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating an entrapment monitoring and detection system for an escalator system according to an embodiment; and

[0034] Figure 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating an entrapment monitoring and detection system for an escalator system according to a further embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In escalator technology, passenger safety risks are associated with riding an escalator. These include overcrowding, which can cause passengers to trip, and personal items (such as shoes, shoelaces, or clothing) being caught at the interface of the moving steps and the comb, and at the interface of the outer skirt and the moving steps on the railings at both sides of the escalator.

[0036] Therefore, as will be described below, a system and method are provided for detecting potential / imminent step-skirt entrapment and for focused and targeted warnings to avoid actual entrapment. The escalator is equipped with light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors or other similar types of sensors on both sides of the escalator. The sensors monitor the straight portion of the escalator operation. Multiple sensors can be used on each side to address the possibility that a entrapment situation hinders another entrapment further along the sensor focus area. Data such as LiDAR data will then be processed by the device to detect entrapment hazards by monitoring the distance to the object and its persistence over time. This processing will result in the ability to display the entrapment hazard at the moving location where the entrapment hazard is detected using, for example, a string of light emitting diodes (LEDs), where "yellow" will be a warning (the object is first seen in the step / skirt interface), and "red" will be an alarm (the object persists over time, moving with the step). This warning / alarm can be displayed to passengers and potentially used to drop the escalator brake (i.e., as a last resort).

[0037] refer to Figure 1, an escalator 10 is provided. In the subsequent description, it should become apparent that the present invention is applicable to other passenger conveyor systems, such as moving walkways. The escalator 10 generally includes a truss 12 extending between a lower landing 14 and an upper landing 16. A plurality of sequentially connected steps or pallets 18 are connected to a step chain 20 and travel through a closed loop path within the truss 12. A pair of handrails 22 are provided on both sides of the escalator 10, wherein each handrail 22 includes a moving handrail 24. A drive machine 26 or drive system is generally located in a machine space 28 below the upper landing 16. An additional machine space 28' may be located below the lower landing 14. The drive machine 26 is configured to drive the pallet 18 and / or handrail 24 via the step chain 20. Under normal operating conditions, the drive machine 26 operates to move the pallet 18 in a selected direction at a desired speed.

[0038] The step 18 makes a 180 degree course change in a turning area 19 located below the lower landing 14 and the upper landing 16. The step 18 is pivotally attached to a step chain 20 and runs along the closed loop path of the step chain 20 from one landing to another and back again.

[0039] The drive machine 26 includes a first drive member 32 (such as a motor output pulley) connected to a drive motor 34 through a belt reduction assembly 36, and includes a second drive member 38 (such as an output pulley) driven by a tension member 39 (such as an output belt). In some embodiments, the first drive member 32 is a driving member and the second drive member 38 is a driven member.

[0040] As used herein, in various embodiments, the first drive member 32 and / or the second drive member 38 can be any type of rotating device, such as a pulley, a pulley, a gear, a wheel, a sprocket, a gear, a pinion, etc. In various embodiments, the tension member 39 can be configured as a chain, a belt, a cable, a strap, a ribbon, a bar, or any other similar device that operatively connects two elements to provide a driving force from one element to another. For example, the tension member 39 can be any type of interconnecting member that extends between the first drive member 32 and the second drive member 38 and operatively connects them. In some embodiments, as Figure 1 As shown in , the first drive member 32 and the second drive member can provide belt reduction. For example, the diameter of the first drive member 32 can be about 75 mm (2.95 inches), while the diameter of the second drive member 38 can be about 750 mm (29.53 inches). For example, the belt reduction allows the pulley to be replaced to change the speed of 50 or 60 Hz power application, or different step speeds. However, in other embodiments, the second drive member 38 can be substantially similar to the first drive member 32.

[0041] As described, the first drive member 32 is driven by the drive motor 34 and is therefore configured to drive the tension member 39 and the second drive member 38. In some embodiments, the second drive member 38 may be an idler gear or similar device that is driven by the operative connection between the first drive member 32 and the second drive member 38 through the tension member 39. The tension member 39 travels around a loop set by the first drive member 32 and the second drive member 38, which may be referred to as a small loop hereinafter. The small loop is provided for driving a larger loop consisting of the step chain 20 and driven by, for example, the output pulley 40. Under normal operating conditions, based on the movement speed of the first drive member 32 as driven by the drive motor 34, the tension member 39 and the step chain 20 move together.

[0042] The escalator 10 also includes a controller 115 in electronic communication with the drive motor 34. As shown, the controller 115 can be located in the machine space 28 of the escalator 10 and is configured to control the operation of the escalator 10. For example, the controller 115 can provide a drive signal to the drive motor 34 to control the acceleration, deceleration, stop, etc. of the pedal 18 through the step chain 20. The controller 115 can be an electronic controller including a processor and an associated memory, the associated memory including computer executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The processor can be, but is not limited to, a single processor or multi-processor system of any architecture in a variety of possible architectures, including a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a central processing unit (CPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogeneously or heterogeneously. The memory can be, but is not limited to, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic, or any other computer-readable medium.

[0043] Although described herein as a particular escalator drive system and particular components, this is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that other escalator system configurations may operate with the invention disclosed herein.

[0044] refer to Figure 2-6 , an escalator system 201 is provided. The escalator system 201 includes railings 210, each of which includes a skirt 211 with a brush 212 (see Figure 5), a moving step 220 and a clamping monitoring and detection system 230. The railing 210, each skirt 211 and each brush 212 are fixed. The moving step 220 can be driven to move along the railing 210, each skirt 211 and each brush 212 in the conveying direction C. Therefore, the moving step 220 moves between the railings 210 to move between the ends of each brush 212 and the corresponding side 221 of the moving step 220 (see Figure 5 ) form a step-skirt interface 240 (see Figure 5 ). The entrapment monitoring and detection system 230 includes a sensor 231 and a processor 232 for each step-skirt interface 240. Each sensor 231 is disposed at or near a corresponding step-skirt interface 240 and is configured to sense an object present at the corresponding step-skirt interface 240 at any point along the corresponding rail 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212 that the sensor 231 is responsible for scanning.

[0045] like Figure 4 As shown in , the sensors 231 at each step-skirt interface 240 may include multiple sensors 2311, 2312 sensing in the same direction DS and / or multiple sensors 2313, 2314 sensing in opposite directions DO1, DO2. In the former case, the sensor 2311 is responsible for sensing along the corresponding railing 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212 in the direction DS toward the position of the sensor 2312, and the sensor 2312 is responsible for sensing along the corresponding railing 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212 in the direction DS toward the next sensor or the end of the escalator. In the latter case, the sensors 2313, 2314 are near each other, the sensor 2313 is responsible for sensing along the corresponding railing 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212 in the direction DO1, and the sensor 2314 is responsible for sensing along the corresponding railing 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212 in the direction DO2. It is to be understood that other sensor arrangements are possible and that the escalator need not have the same sensor arrangement at each step-skirt interface 240 .

[0046] Processor 232 may be Figure 1 231 and includes a processing unit, a networking unit, and a memory, through which the processing unit communicates with the sensor 231 and external devices. The memory has executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, cause the processing unit to operate as described herein. The following description will generally refer to the processor 232.

[0047] The processor 232 is configured to determine whether any sensor 231 senses the presence of an object at the step-skirt interface 240 for a predetermined time, and the sensor 231 is responsible for scanning the object. In addition, the processor 232 is further configured to determine that a entrapment event is occurring based on a positive determination that the sensor 231 senses the presence of an object at the step-skirt interface 240 for a predetermined time, and to take mitigation measures accordingly. According to one or more alternative embodiments, the mitigation measures may include at least one or more of the following: activating one or more local warning lights 501 arranged along one or both of the railings 210 to emit a first color (i.e., orange to indicate a warning of potential / imminent entrapment at the location of the warning light 501), activating one or more local warning lights 501 to emit a second color (i.e., red to indicate an alarm of potential / imminent entrapment at the location of the warning light 501), and braking or slowing down the escalator system if a entrapment event is currently occurring (see Figure 7 ).

[0048] According to an embodiment, each sensor 231 may include or be provided as one or more of the following: a light detection and ranging or laser imaging, detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor and / or a camera. According to a further embodiment, each sensor 231 may be provided as one or more of the following: a 2D LiDAR sensor, a millimeter wave RADAR sensor and / or a red, green, blue depth (RGBD) camera. According to a further embodiment, each sensor 231 may be provided as a plurality of sensors as described above, including a combination of one or more sensor types listed herein.

[0049] like Figure 6 , which shows data that can be generated by sensor 231, particularly in the case where sensor 231 is a LiDAR sensor, sensor 231 can be configured to perform periodic sensing and can also be configured to generate data as signals S during the periodic sensing. These signals S can be received and read by processor 232. According to an embodiment, sensor 231 can periodically scan its clamping interface ten times per second, for example, Figure 6, which shows a compilation of these multiple scans, thus introducing the aspect of a time-varying signal. When no object is present at the step-skirt interface 240 for the sensor 231, the signal S of the sensor 231 is a first signal S1 and reflects the scanning responsiveness length of the sensor 231 along the adjacent railing 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212. When an object is present at the step-skirt interface 240 for the sensor 231 for less than a predetermined time (which can be anywhere from milliseconds to seconds or longer), the signal S of the sensor 231 deviates from the first signal S1 and persists as a second signal S2 for less than a predetermined time. When an object is present at the step-skirt interface 240 for the sensor 231 for at least a predetermined time, the signal S of the sensor 231 deviates from the first signal S1 and persists as a third signal S3 for at least a predetermined time. As used herein, deviations of the second and third signals S2, S3 from the first signal S1 appear as data points that do not reflect the length of the scanning responsiveness of the corresponding sensor 231 along the adjacent rail 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212, but rather reflect the shorter and variable distance between the sensor 231 and the object present at the step-skirt interface 240. It is worth noting that the first, second, and third signals S1, S2, and S3 refer to a moving frame that moves relative to the fixed sensor 231. If the sensor is looking along the escalator that is moving in a direction away from the sensor 231, a fixed object (such as a shoe) on the moving step 220 will have an increasing distance from the sensor 231. Therefore, the "persistence" of the pinch detection will look like a scanning group of the third signal S3, which is moving away at the operating speed of the escalator as shown.

[0050] The processor 232 may be trained or otherwise programmed to use various types of training scenarios and modeling to identify the scanning responsiveness length of the sensor 231 along the adjacent railing 210 / skirt 211 / brush 212 as reflected by the first signal S1, the second signal S2, and the third signal S3. In particular, the processor 232 may be trained or programmed to distinguish the third signal S3 from the first signal S1 and from the second signal S2 to determine that a entrapment event is occurring based on the third signal S3, and then take mitigation measures.

[0051] refer to Figure 7, a method of operating a entrapment monitoring and detection system for an escalator system in which a moving step passes over the end of a brush of a railing at a step-skirt interface. The method includes scanning the step-skirt interface (box 701), determining whether the scan result indicates an object at the step-skirt interface (box 702), determining whether the scan result indicates an object at the step-skirt interface for a predetermined time (box 703), and determining that an entrapment is occurring or is about to occur based on the scan result indicating an object at the step-skirt interface and lasting for a predetermined time (box 704). In addition, the method may also include taking mitigation measures to address the entrapment that is occurring or is about to occur, such as by at least one or more of the following: activating a warning light that emits a first color, activating a warning light that emits a second color, and braking or slowing the escalator system (box 705).

[0052] refer to Figure 8 An example method of operating an entrapment monitoring and detection system for an escalator system is provided in which a moving step passes over the end of a brush of a railing at a step-skirt interface. The method includes two main components. The first is an object sensing and tracking component, while the second is an entrapment recognition and response component.

[0053] like Figure 8 As shown in , in the object sensing and tracking component, the method includes scanning the step-skirt interface (box 801), and determining whether the scanning result indicates an object at the step-skirt interface by showing that the detected range is less than a predefined scan length (box 802). If the result of the determination of box 802 is negative, the method includes deleting the object reference and setting the object scan counter to zero (box 803), so that control returns to the scanning of box 801. If the result of the determination of box 802 is positive, the method includes considering the reference system when moving at the escalator running speed, and determining whether the new range is consistent with the previously identified object (box 804). If the result of the determination of box 804 is negative, the method includes redefining the object reference and resetting the object scan counter to 1 (box 805), so that control returns to the scanning of box 801. If the result of the determination of box 804 is positive, the method includes continuously incrementing the object scan counter (box 806).

[0054] At this point, in the entrapment identification and response component, the method includes determining whether the object scan counter has a value greater than N-action (box 807), and if so, initiating an entrapment mitigation measure (box 808), such as an escalator shutdown. Here, N-action is a value of the object scan counter that is predefined as being associated with an entrapment event that requires mitigation. If not, the method also includes determining whether the object scan counter has a value greater than N-alarm (box 809), and if so, issuing an alarm indication at the location of the object (box 810), such as a red alarm light emitted by a local LED, whereupon control returns to the scan of box 801. Here, N-alarm is a value of the object scan counter that is predefined as being associated with an impending or potential entrapment event that may need to be mitigated in the near future, but does not yet require an escalator shutdown. If not, the method further includes determining whether the object scan counter has a value greater than N-warning (block 811), and if so, issuing a warning indication at the location of the object (block 812), such as an orange warning light emitted by a local LED, and then control returns to the scan of block 801. Here, N-warning is a value of the object scan counter that is predefined to be associated with a minor potential entrapment event that may need to be mitigated but does not yet require an alarm. If not, control returns to the scan of block 801.

[0055] Reference above Figure 8 The three levels of system response described are specifically illustrative of one implementation of the detection method. Alternative configurations with additional or fewer levels may also be used in such a detection system.

[0056] The technical effect and benefit of the present disclosure is to provide a fast-response, improveable detection system that can monitor and detect the entrapment hazard along the step / skirt interface in an escalator. The system can be used to generate a centralized indication of the exact location of the detected entrapment hazard to warn riding passengers to avoid actual entrapment, and if deemed useful, provide a signal to initiate a braking response.

[0057] The corresponding structures, materials, actions and equivalents of all parts or steps plus functional elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material or action for performing functions in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. For the purpose of illustration and description, the description of the present disclosure has been presented, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the technical concepts of the disclosed form. Without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. These embodiments are selected and described in order to best explain the principles and practical applications of the present disclosure, and to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure of various embodiments and various modifications suitable for the intended specific use.

[0058] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it will be understood that various improvements and enhancements may be made by those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, which improvements and enhancements fall within the scope of the appended claims. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the disclosure first described.

Claims

1. An escalator system, comprising: a railing including a skirt having a brush; a moving step drivable to move along the rail in a conveying direction to form a step-skirt interface between an end of the brush of the skirt and a corresponding side of the moving step; as well as A clamping monitoring and detection system, the clamping monitoring and detection system comprising: a sensor disposed at the step-skirt interface and configured to sense an object present at the step-skirt interface; as well as A processor is configured to determine whether the sensor senses the object is present at the step-skirt interface for a predetermined time.

2. The escalator system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor includes a plurality of sensors sensing in the same direction or in a plurality of directions.

3. The escalator system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor is a LiDAR sensor.

4. The escalator system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor is a RADAR sensor.

5. The escalator system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor is a camera.

6. The escalator system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor is one or more of the following: a LiDAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, or a camera.

7. The escalator system according to claim 1, wherein: The sensor is configured to perform periodic sensing and is further configured to generate a signal receivable and readable by the processor during the periodic sensing, and in: When no object is present at the step-skirt interface, the signal is a first signal and reflects a predetermined length along the rail for which the sensor is responsible, When an object is present at the step-skirt interface for less than the predetermined time, the signal deviates from the first signal for less than the predetermined time, and When an object is present at the step-skirt interface for at least the predetermined time, the signal deviates from the first signal for at least the predetermined time.

8. The escalator system according to claim 1 further includes a light emitting diode (LED), which is arranged along the railing and can be controlled by the clamping monitoring and detection system to emit light in response to the processor determining that the sensor senses the object is present at the step-skirt interface for the predetermined time.

9. The escalator system according to claim 1, wherein: The processor is further configured to: determine that a entrapment event is occurring or is about to occur based on a positive determination by the sensor that the object is present at the step-skirt interface for the predetermined time, and take mitigation measures accordingly, and The mitigation measures include at least one or more of: activating a warning light emitting a first color, activating a warning light emitting a second color, and braking or slowing the escalator system.

10. An escalator system, comprising: railings, each railing including a skirt having a brush; a moving step drivable to move between said rails in a conveying direction to form said step-skirt interface between an end of each brush and a corresponding side of said moving step; as well as A clamping monitoring and detection system, the clamping monitoring and detection system comprising: a sensor disposed at each step-skirt interface and configured to sense an object present at each step-skirt interface; as well as A processor is configured to determine whether any sensor senses that the object exists at any step-skirt interface for a predetermined time, so as to judge that a entrapment event is occurring or is about to occur based on a positive determination that any sensor senses that the object exists at any step-skirt interface for the predetermined time and take mitigation measures accordingly.

11. The escalator system according to claim 10, wherein: The sensors at each step-skirt interface may include multiple sensors sensing in the same direction or in multiple directions.

12. The escalator system according to claim 10, wherein: The sensors at each step-skirt interface are LiDAR sensors.

13. The escalator system according to claim 10, wherein: The sensors at each step-skirt interface are RADAR sensors.

14. The escalator system according to claim 10, wherein: The sensors at each step-skirt interface are camera devices.

15. The escalator system according to claim 10, wherein: The sensor at each step-skirt interface is one or more of the following: a LiDAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, or a camera.

16. The escalator system according to claim 10, wherein: The sensor at each step-skirt interface is configured to perform periodic sensing and is further configured to generate a signal receivable and readable by the processor during the periodic sensing, and in: When no object is present at either step-skirt interface, the signal of each sensor is a first signal and reflects a predetermined length along the rail for which each sensor is responsible, When an object is present at any step-skirt interface for less than the predetermined time, the signal of the corresponding sensor deviates from the first signal for less than the predetermined time, and When an object is present at any step-skirt interface for at least the predetermined time, the signal of the corresponding sensor deviates from the first signal and lasts for at least the predetermined time.

17. The escalator system of claim 10, further comprising a light emitting diode (LED) disposed along each of the handrails and controllable by the entrapment monitoring and detection system to emit light in response to the processor determining that any sensor senses the object is present at the step-skirt interface for the predetermined time.

18. The escalator system according to claim 10, wherein: The processor is further configured to: determine that a entrapment event is occurring or is about to occur based on a positive determination that any sensor senses that the object exists at the corresponding step-skirt interface for the predetermined time, and take mitigation measures accordingly; and The mitigation measures include at least one or more of: activating a warning light emitting a first color, activating a warning light emitting a second color, and braking or slowing the escalator system.

19. A method of operating a entrapment monitoring and detection system for an escalator system in which a moving step passes over the end of a brush of a handrail at a step-skirt interface, the method comprising: scanning the step-skirt interface; determining whether results of the scanning indicate an object at the step-skirt interface; determining whether a result of the scanning indicates that the object is present at the step-skirt interface for a predetermined time; as well as Based on the results of the scanning indicating that the object is at the step-skirt interface for the predetermined time, it is determined that entrapment is occurring or is about to occur.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising taking mitigation measures to address the entrapment that is occurring or is about to occur, The mitigation measures include at least one or more of: activating a warning light emitting a first color, activating a warning light emitting a second color, and braking or slowing the escalator system.

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