Printed Circuit Board

Abstract

A printed circuit board (100) with an electronic display (102) is provided to the electronic display (102); and the electronic display (102) is arranged to receive and display the version information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to printed circuit boards, and in some specific examples to printed circuit boards in passenger conveyors. Background Technology

[0002] Traditionally, printed circuit boards (PCBs) are labeled using printed labels (such as affixed paper labels). These labels may include part numbers, which may include the hardware version of the PCB. Such printed labels may also include software version information of the software loaded onto the PCB.

[0003] Each time the printed circuit board is updated, such as each time the hardware or software is updated, the label is modified or a new label is applied.

[0004] In various industries, especially those where safety is a critical factor, routine checks are performed on equipment. This may include verifying that certain hardware and / or software is up-to-date, such as being the appropriate version. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a printed circuit board having an electronic display; wherein the electronic display is electrically connected to the printed circuit board; wherein the printed circuit board includes at least one component having version information associated with the printed circuit board stored thereon; wherein the printed circuit board is arranged to provide the version information to the electronic display; and wherein the electronic display is arranged to receive and display the version information.

[0006] With this arrangement, the version information displayed on the board is stored on the board. This offers many advantages compared to previous systems.

[0007] For example, in previous systems with paper labels, even in controlled environments such as manufacturing plants, human error can occur, resulting in printed labels that do not have the correct version number for the printed circuit board to which the label is attached. Furthermore, maintaining accurate labeling of printed circuit boards becomes significantly more challenging once installed at the customer's site. For instance, in cases where software updates can be performed remotely, a technician's on-site visit may still be necessary to ensure that the paper labels on the printed circuit boards display the accurate and up-to-date software version. In this case, there may be a delay between the software update and the next on-site visit (and the subsequent paper label update), during which time the paper labels may become outdated and inaccurate. In another example, a field technician may not be aware of the need for hardware and / or software updates to various printed circuit boards before the visit. Therefore, the field technician may not have the necessary paper labels to update the information displayed on the printed circuit boards when performing the update.

[0008] In contrast, using the printed circuit board according to this disclosure, version information can be easily and reliably programmed or loaded onto the printed circuit board during manufacturing (especially in the case of hardware information) or during debugging (especially in the case of software information), ensuring that the version information is reliably correct during manufacturing / installation. Furthermore, the version information can be updated and / or corrected through various methods, and the electronic display always shows the correct information. Particularly advantageously, updates can be performed remotely, and the version information displayed on the printed circuit board can be updated without on-site access.

[0009] Version information associated with a printed circuit board may include, for example, the following: components of the printed circuit board; multiple components of the printed circuit board; the printed circuit board itself, i.e., the bare board before the components are mounted; or the entire printed circuit board, i.e., having at least one component mounted thereon.

[0010] In some examples, electronic displays may include liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light-emitting diode (LED) displays, etc. In some examples, electronic displays include electronic paper. Electronic paper (also known as “electronic paper,” “electronic ink,” or “smart paper”) is generally low-power because it is designed to reflect ambient light rather than emit its own light. Many electronic paper displays can remain static indefinitely without the application of power. Such displays can show the version associated with the printed circuit board even when the display (or even the printed circuit board) is not powered. This is particularly useful for ensuring that the board’s version information can be determined without necessarily powering it. For example, printed circuit boards in storage or at the manufacturing plant can still be inspected to verify the appropriate version information before being sent for installation. Additionally, in the case of inspections (such as security checks), it may be necessary or desirable to turn off the power when inspecting the printed circuit board. With static display electronic paper, the version information remains visible and can be inspected and / or verified in the same way that paper labels would be used without power. However, with electronic paper, version information can be modified or updated without on-site access and without the need to apply new labels.

[0011] Electronic paper comes in many different forms and can utilize a variety of technologies. Examples include: Gyricon displays (using bicolor Janus particles), electrophoretic displays, electrowetting displays, interference displays, and plasma displays. Some of these may require low power to maintain the display, in which case a small (e.g., coin cell) battery can be provided on a printed circuit board to provide independent power to the display. However, as mentioned above, electronic displays ideally maintain a static display without the application of power. Such displays typically use bistable particles, which can transition between their two states by the application of power (e.g., an electric field for charged particles). Since each state is stable, no power is needed to maintain it. Each state typically represents a different color (e.g., black in one state and white in another).

[0012] In some examples, version information includes hardware version information associated with the printed circuit board. For instance, it may be necessary to verify the hardware version of the printed circuit board before shipping it to a customer. Electronic displays can allow such verification to be performed while ensuring that the information provided is accurate and up-to-date.

[0013] In some examples, version information includes software version information associated with the printed circuit board (PCB). A PCB may have associated software for various reasons. For example, a PCB may have one or more processors running software to perform certain functions of the PCB. A PCB may have firmware or drivers for controlling certain hardware on the board. A PCB may have a single piece of software (with associated version information), or it may have several pieces of software (each with its own associated version information). All version information can be transmitted to and displayed on an electronic display. The software may be installed on the PCB during manufacturing, or it may be loaded later, such as when debugging the board in a system, to ensure it has the latest software. The software may also be updated when a new version becomes available. When the software is updated, there will be updated version information for that software. For example, an update installed during a technician's site visit to a customer may result in updated software version information. Because the version information is provided from the PCB to the electronic display, technicians do not need to update or apply new printed labels.

[0014] In some examples, version information associated with the printed circuit board is stored in persistent memory. Persistent memory can be defined as memory that retains the information stored therein even when there is no power. Therefore, persistent memory enables the retention of version information associated with the printed circuit board even when power to the printed circuit board is lost or unavailable.

[0015] While in some examples the version information associated with a printed circuit board may be stored in read-only memory, updating such version information would require replacing components of the printed circuit board. Therefore, in other examples, the version information associated with the printed circuit board may be stored in rewritable memory. Rewritable memory may be defined as memory that can be overwritten, such as erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or flash memory. This allows the version information to be updated without replacing components. Of course, it will be appreciated that any software may also be stored in such memory. Software may be stored with its version information, or the version information may be stored separately from the software and updated simultaneously with software updates.

[0016] In some examples, the printed circuit board is arranged to receive software updates, including updated software version information. For example, the software version information associated with the printed circuit board can be updated by replacing a component on the printed circuit board with one that has the updated software version information, or the new software version information can be loaded into an existing component on the printed circuit board. Because the printed circuit board is arranged to provide the software version information to an electronic display, software updates can be applied while ensuring that the electronic display continues to show the latest software version information.

[0017] In some examples, the printed circuit board further includes a communication module arranged to receive software updates via a network. For example, the communication module may be arranged to receive software updates via a local area network (e.g., via Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.). Updates may be received from a locally networked computer, or from a computer located remotely (e.g., via a wide area network or the Internet). This allows the software (and software version information) to be updated remotely. Because the printed circuit board is arranged to provide software version information to an electronic display, software updates can be applied remotely from the printed circuit board (and optionally also remotely from the site where the printed circuit board is located) while the electronic display continues to show the latest software version. Therefore, remote software updates can be performed without on-site access by a technician, still resulting in the display of the latest version information on the printed circuit board.

[0018] In some examples, the printed circuit board is arranged to periodically provide version information to an electronic display, such as once per minute, once per hour, once per day, etc. Periodically providing version information to the display ensures that a single failure in the display update mechanism does not persist for too long, as another update to the display will occur after that period has passed. For example, if the display crashes for some reason, the next periodic update will refresh the display to show the correct version information. In some examples, the printed circuit board is arranged to provide version information to the electronic display in response to an update of the version information associated with the printed circuit board. This helps to confirm immediately after an update is applied that the version update has been successful (e.g., without waiting for a periodic update as described above). This minimizes periods of display inaccuracy.

[0019] In some examples, the printed circuit board is arranged to provide an electronic display with the date and / or time when version information becomes associated with the printed circuit board (e.g., applied to or mounted on the printed circuit board); and the electronic display is arranged to receive and display the date and / or time when the version information becomes associated with the printed circuit board. This additional information can provide further indication of how new the printed circuit board is, as it indicates how much time has passed since the last update. The date and / or time may more directly indicate that an update of the printed circuit board may be needed, without necessarily checking what the latest version is. For example, if the version information has not been updated for a long period of time, this may indicate that an update is needed.

[0020] In some examples, the electronic display is arranged to show the date and / or time when version information associated with the printed circuit board was last received from the board. This provides an indication of whether the electronic display and / or the printed circuit board are functioning correctly, such as whether the connection between the electronic display and the printed circuit board is operating correctly. The date and / or time indicates how much time has passed since the electronic display was refreshed. This can be useful, for example, if the electronic display includes electronic paper capable of holding static text and images indefinitely without power. Otherwise, the electronic paper could display outdated version information of the printed circuit board without providing any indication that the information may be incorrect. This can be particularly useful where the printed circuit board is arranged to periodically provide version information to the electronic display. For example, if the last refresh date is earlier than a refresh period, anyone inspecting the board can infer that the version information may be unreliable.

[0021] In some examples, the printed circuit board is a safety-critical printed circuit board. Safety-critical boards may require regular safety checks to verify that the system is safe, for example, to provide safety certification. The examples in this disclosure facilitate such checks by ensuring that reliable information is provided for easy visual inspection. For example, printed circuit boards can be used to control various safety systems, such as brakes or emergency communications.

[0022] In some examples, the printed circuit boards are those of passenger conveyor systems. Specifically, passenger conveyor systems can be elevator systems, escalator systems, or moving walkways. Inspecting the printed circuit boards in a passenger conveyor system may be routine or necessary to ensure they are up-to-date.

[0023] In some examples, the printed circuit board is the active safety control system printed circuit board for a passenger conveyor system. An elevator's active safety control system typically consists of several boards that communicate with each other. These boards may be located, for example, in the elevator car, elevator shaft, and / or at the elevator controller. Elevator certificates usually specify the specific hardware and software versions used for each of these boards, which must be verified during elevator system inspection.

[0024] According to a second aspect, this disclosure provides a passenger conveyor system including a printed circuit board with an electronic display; wherein the electronic display is electrically connected to the printed circuit board; wherein the printed circuit board includes at least one component having version information associated with the printed circuit board stored thereon; wherein the printed circuit board is arranged to provide the version information to the electronic display; and wherein the electronic display is arranged to receive and display the version information.

[0025] The printed circuit board may include any of the optional features provided in any of the previous examples of printed circuit boards according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0026] In some examples, the passenger conveyor system further includes a control cabinet; wherein the control cabinet includes a second electronic display; wherein printed circuit boards are arranged to provide version information to the second electronic display; and wherein the second electronic display is arranged to receive and display the version information. A cabinet including an electronic system display may be particularly convenient for checking version information on the printed circuit board without directly inspecting the printed circuit board. For example, if the printed circuit board is located in a hard-to-access location, it may be difficult to check the electronic display on the printed circuit board itself, but checking the second electronic display on the cabinet may be sufficient to meet the inspection requirements. The date and / or time characteristics discussed above may be particularly useful on the second electronic display for verifying that the information is being updated reliably as expected.

[0027] In some examples, the passenger conveyor system includes multiple printed circuit boards (PCBs); each of these PCBs is arranged to provide corresponding version information to a second electronic display; and the second electronic display is arranged to receive and display each of the corresponding version information. This is particularly convenient for checking whether the version information of each of the multiple PCBs is up-to-date, without needing to check each PCB individually. This can save time, for example, when the multiple PCBs are located in different locations. For example, in an elevator system, the PCBs might be located on the elevator car, at the traction machine, and in the pit.

[0028] In some examples, the second electronic display includes electronic paper, as discussed above for electronic displays on printed circuit boards. This can be particularly convenient if the system power is turned off, for example, for maintenance or during inspection procedures.

[0029] In some examples, each of the plurality of printed circuit boards is arranged to provide an electronic display with the date and / or time when the corresponding version information becomes associated with the corresponding printed circuit board (e.g., applied to or mounted on the corresponding printed circuit board); and a second electronic display is arranged to receive and display the date and / or time when each of the corresponding version information becomes associated with the corresponding printed circuit board.

[0030] In some examples, the second electronic display is arranged to show the date and / or time when the corresponding version information was last received from the corresponding printed circuit board. Attached Figure Description

[0031] One or more non-limiting examples will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 A printed circuit board with an electronic display is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 An elevator system comprising multiple printed circuit boards is shown; and

[0034] Figure 3 An elevator cabinet including an electronic system display is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Figure 1 A printed circuit board (PCB) 100 including a component 101 with memory is shown. Version information of the PCB 100 is stored in the memory of the component 101. The version information includes software version information and hardware version information of the PCB 100. It will be appreciated that for some PCBs 100, only software version information or only hardware version information may be stored as needed.

[0036] PCB 100 also includes an electronic display 102. In this example, the electronic display 102 is an electronic paper display that can maintain a static display without power. In other examples, other forms of electronic paper (with a separate power source, such as a button cell battery, if needed) or LCD or LED displays can be used. The electronic display 102 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 100, and thus electrically connected to component 101, for example, via conductive paths on the PCB 100, such that version information stored on component 101 can be transferred to the electronic display 102.

[0037] In this example, PCB 100 includes a processor 103 that reads version information from the memory of component 101 and provides it to electronic display 102. In other examples, electronic display 102 may be configured to read version information directly from component 101 (e.g., processor 103 may not be required). In some examples, processor 103 may send a command that causes component 101 to provide version information of PCB 100 to electronic display 102. In other examples, component 101 includes processor 103.

[0038] The electronic display 102 displays hardware version information and software version information of the PCB 100. Hardware version information may be, for example, a part number identifying a specific version of the PCB 100 itself, such as identifying a specific set of components or a specific component layout. Software version information may, for example, indicate the software version of software stored in component 101 or processor 103 (or other components on the PCB 100), which can be executed by processor 103 or can control the operation of other devices. If several programs (software) are used or stored on the board, separate version information can be provided, stored, and displayed for each.

[0039] PCB 100 includes a communication module 104, which provides a network connection for receiving software updates. This allows PCB 100 to receive software updates via a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet.

[0040] In this example, PCB 100 is part of a passenger conveyor system, such as an elevator system. The passenger conveyor system can obtain software updates via a wide area network (WAN) or the Internet, and these software updates can be provided to PCB 100 via a local area network (LAN) through communication module 104. In other examples, updates are provided directly to PCB 100 via communication module 104, for example, communication module 104 provides a WAN connection (such as an Internet connection) to PCB 100 for receiving software updates.

[0041] In this example, the version information of PCB 100 is transmitted to electronic display 102 periodically (e.g., every five minutes). In other words, electronic display 102 is refreshed regularly to ensure that it displays the correct and up-to-date version information. Additionally, in this example, if the software of PCB 100 is updated (and the corresponding software version information is updated accordingly), the updated version information is immediately transmitted to electronic display 102 to ensure that it displays the updated software version information as quickly as possible, and in particular, without having to wait for the refresh period to pass. These two update mechanisms (periodic updates and immediate / responsive updates) can be applied separately and independently, or they can be used together.

[0042] In this example, component 101 also stores the date and / or time when the version information of PCB 100 was last updated. This may include separate dates for when the hardware version information and software version information for PCB 100 were last updated. For example, the hardware version information may never be updated, while the software version information may be updated regularly as new software updates are applied. This date and / or time information is provided to electronic display 102 and displayed along with the current hardware and software version information of PCB 100.

[0043] The electronic display 102 can also display the date when the version information of the PCB 100 was last provided to the electronic display 102. This can help indicate whether the display is working and whether the information displayed is reliable (such as whether the information is up-to-date and accurate), because the display should regularly receive this information as long as the PCB 100 is powered on and / or operated.

[0044] Date and / or time information can be provided in any suitable manner. For example, any calendar system can be used, or the information can be encoded as a cumulative time since a certain reference time (e.g., for Julian days or UNIX timestamps). However, it is preferred that the date and / or time be easily readable and understandable by a human inspector during a quick visual inspection. Therefore, in some examples, the date and / or time includes the year, month, and day, and ideally also includes the time in the form of hours and minutes (and optionally seconds). This time can be obtained from a local clock, or it can be provided from any suitable source (such as network time, GPS time, etc.).

[0045] In this example, PCB 100 is the PCB for the Active Safety Control System (ASCS) of an elevator system. An elevator's active safety control system typically consists of several boards that communicate with each other. These boards can be located, for example, in the elevator car, elevator shaft, and elevator controller. Elevator certificates usually specify the specific hardware and software versions used for each of these boards.

[0046] Routine checks of ASCS PCBs can be performed to ensure they have the correct hardware and software versions. These checks typically require verifying the software and / or hardware version information displayed on the PCB. PCB 100, as described in the example herein, may be particularly useful for this application, as it features an updated electronic display 102 and does not require manual relabeling to provide the correct software and / or hardware version information.

[0047] Figure 2 An elevator system 200 is shown. The elevator system 200 includes an elevator car 201. An ASCS PCB (which can be...) Figure 1 The PCB 100 shown is installed inside the elevator car 201. Figure 2 (Not visible in the middle).

[0048] The elevator system 200 also includes a counterweight 202, a tension member 203, guide rails 204, and an elevator control cabinet 205 including an elevator controller. The elevator car 201 and the counterweight 202 are connected to each other via the tension member 203. The tension member 203 may include or be configured as, for example, ropes, cables, and / or coated steel strips. The counterweight 202 is configured to balance the load of the elevator car 201 and is configured to facilitate simultaneous and opposite movement of the elevator car 201 relative to the counterweight 202 within the elevator shaft and along the guide rails 204. The elevator car 201 may be stopped at one or more floors 206, as controlled by the controller 205.

[0049] The traction mechanism 207 is configured to control the movement of the elevator car 201 and the counterweight 202 by applying force to the tension member 203. The controller 205 can provide drive signals to the mechanism 207 to control the acceleration, deceleration, leveling, stopping, etc. of the elevator car 201.

[0050] Figure 3 Elevator control cabinet 300 (such as...) is shown. Figure 2 The elevator control cabinet 305 shown is located inside the elevator control cabinet 305. The cabinet 300 includes an elevator controller 301 and a second electronic display 302. In this example, the second electronic display 302 is connected via a local area network to an ASCS PCB (such as...) on the elevator car 201 through the controller 301. Figure 1 PCB 100) communication.

[0051] The ASCS PCB is arranged to provide version information of the ASCS PCB (potentially including both hardware version information and software version information) to display 302. Display 302 displays the version information of the ASCS PCB, as well as the date when the version information of the ASCS PCB was updated and the date on which the version information of the ASCS PCB was provided to display 302.

[0052] In this example, the second electronic display 302 is an electronic paper display that can display information indefinitely without power.

[0053] In this example, controller 301 includes a controller PCB (which may also have the functionality described with respect to PCB 100), and electronic system display 302 also displays version information of the elevator controller PCB, as well as the date when the version information of the elevator controller PCB was updated and the date on which the version information of the elevator controller PCB was provided to display 302.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board with an electronic display; The electronic display is electrically connected to the printed circuit board; The printed circuit board includes at least one component having version information associated with the printed circuit board stored thereon; The printed circuit board is arranged to provide the version information to the electronic display; and The electronic display is arranged to receive and display the version information.

2. The printed circuit board according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic display includes electronic paper.

3. The printed circuit board according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein, The version information includes hardware version information associated with the printed circuit board.

4. The printed circuit board according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The version information includes software version information associated with the printed circuit board.

5. The printed circuit board according to claim 4, wherein, The printed circuit board is arranged to receive software updates, including updated software version information; and optionally... The printed circuit board further includes a communication module arranged to receive the software update via a network.

6. The printed circuit board according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The printed circuit board is arranged to provide the version information to the electronic display in response to an update of the version information associated with the printed circuit board.

7. The printed circuit board according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The printed circuit board is arranged to provide the electronic display with the date and / or time when the version information becomes associated with the printed circuit board; and The electronic display is arranged to receive and display when the version information becomes the date and / or time associated with the printed circuit board.

8. The printed circuit board according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The electronic display is arranged to display the date and / or time when the version information associated with the printed circuit board was last received from the printed circuit board.

9. The printed circuit board according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The printed circuit board is a safety-critical printed circuit board.

10. The printed circuit board according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The printed circuit board is the active safety control system printed circuit board of the passenger conveyor system.

11. A passenger conveyor system comprising a printed circuit board according to any of the preceding claims.

12. The passenger conveyor system according to claim 11, further comprising a control cabinet; The control cabinet includes a second electronic display; The printed circuit board is arranged to provide the version information to the second electronic display; and The second electronic display is arranged to receive and display the version information.

13. The passenger conveyor system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards; Each of the plurality of printed circuit boards is arranged to provide corresponding version information to the second electronic display; and The second electronic display is arranged to receive and display each of the corresponding version information.

14. The passenger conveyor system according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein, The second electronic display includes electronic paper.

15. The passenger conveyor according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein, Each of the plurality of printed circuit boards is arranged to provide the second electronic display with the date and / or time when the corresponding version information becomes associated with the corresponding printed circuit board; and The second electronic display is arranged to receive and display when each of the corresponding version information becomes the date and / or time associated with the corresponding printed circuit board; and / or The second electronic display is arranged to display the date and / or time when each of the corresponding version information was last received from the corresponding printed circuit board.

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