Method and device for monitoring an operational status of a passenger transport system

Abstract

The invention relates to a monitoring system (1) and to a method for monitoring passenger conveyor systems (61, 71, 81). The monitoring system (1) has at least one hazard analysis module (11), an interaction module (21), a control module (31), at least one movement detection module (43,..., 46+2n) and a speed controller (23) that is to be actuated manually, which are connected to each other via a data network (3). As soon as the hazard analysis module (11) detects a critical situation (101A,..., 101C), the control module (31) connects the speed controller (23) to that passenger conveyor system (61, 71, 81) on which the critical situation (101A,..., 101C) has occurred. The monitoring personnel can influence the driving speed (V) of this passenger conveyor system (61, 71, 81) by manually actuating the speed controller (23).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for monitoring the operation of one or more passenger conveyor systems and to a device for carrying out this method.

[0002] Passenger conveyor systems such as escalators and moving walkways are used in department stores and large shopping centers, as well as in train stations, subway stations, and airports. In the latter three areas, there can be an increased risk of accidents during rush hour if users in a hurry crowd other users on the passenger conveyor systems. This can cause people in a hurry to fall onto the conveyor belt or step belt of the escalator or the pallet belt of the moving walkway and sustain serious injuries if the step belt or pallet belt is not stopped by an emergency stop. Others, in turn, carelessly misuse passenger conveyor systems as sports and play equipment, thereby endangering themselves and other users. Video cameras are often used to monitor these passenger conveyor systems.Such surveillance systems with video cameras are disclosed, for example, in the documents JP 5 917327 B2, JP 2009 120327 A, EP 1 013 599 A1, JP 2010 070299 A and KR 102 215 565 B1.

[0003] If a building has multiple escalators and / or moving walkways, the video sequences are often transmitted in real time to a monitoring room and displayed on screens there. From the monitoring room, a single supervisor oversees each group of passenger conveyors. In addition, the supervisor often also monitors and operates the lighting, fire alarms, ventilation, and possibly other equipment such as security gates and the like within their assigned group of passenger conveyors.

[0004] The high density of monitoring activities can lead to rapid fatigue of the monitoring personnel and reduced attention. If a critical situation occurs on one of the passenger conveyor systems, the reduced attention can worsen the critical situation and, in severe cases, lead to serious injuries or, in the worst case, death of the affected user.

[0005] To solve the aforementioned problem, monitoring rooms are configured so that critical situations involving users on the conveyor system can be automatically detected by processing motion sequence recordings using image recognition. As soon as a critical situation is detected, the corresponding motion sequence recording is displayed on the monitoring room screen. The motion sequence recording is assigned an identification number, allowing the monitoring personnel to immediately identify which of their group's conveyor systems a critical situation has occurred on.

[0006] Below the screen, a number of physical emergency stop switches are arranged in a number corresponding to the number of monitored conveyors. Each emergency stop switch is connected to the safety circuit of the corresponding conveyor. As soon as a critical situation occurs, the monitoring personnel must locate and activate the assigned emergency stop switch of the conveyor indicated by the identification number in the motion sequence recording.

[0007] This searching can significantly reduce the emergency response speed, resulting in the monitoring personnel's intervention being delayed. Furthermore, during dramatic scenes on the motion sequence recording, the monitoring room's monitoring personnel may panic and press the wrong emergency stop button, causing an emergency stop of another passenger conveyor that shouldn't have stopped. This does not defuse the critical situation, and users of the mistakenly stopped passenger conveyor are inconvenienced, as the stopped system cannot be restarted immediately.

[0008] In the case of an abrupt stop, such as the emergency stop defined in standards (e.g., EN-115), users not affected by the critical situation may even fall and injure themselves. Thus, situations may arise in which initiating an emergency stop does more harm than good to the users.

[0009] In order to solve the problems described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system for a passenger conveyor system designed as an escalator or moving walkway, which enables the monitoring room personnel to react immediately and adequately to a critical situation in order to prevent an aggravation of this critical situation.

[0010] This problem is solved by a method for monitoring the operation of a passenger conveyor system configured as an escalator or moving walkway using a monitoring system. The monitoring system comprises a hazard analysis module, an interaction module, a control module, and at least one motion detection module. The motion detection module is directed at an associated passenger conveyor system and can capture electronically processable motion sequence recordings of situations occurring on the associated passenger conveyor system.

[0011] In other words, one or more motion detection modules are directed at an assigned passenger conveyor system and continuously record the processes or situations currently occurring on the escalator or moving walkway. Video cameras, thermal imaging cameras, laser scanners, TOF cameras, a set of multiple sensors, and the like can be used as motion detection modules, whose motion sequence recordings are accordingly captured as a video sequence, image sequence, thermal image sequence, etc. in electronically processable form. When using multiple motion detection modules per passenger conveyor system, each motion detection module is preferably assigned a specific section or area, so that not the entire escalator or moving walkway is visible in one of the motion sequence recordings.

[0012] According to the invention, the motion sequence recordings are transmitted to the hazard analysis module in real time. In the hazard analysis module, the motion sequence recordings are examined for critical situations using analysis algorithms. In other words, automated detection processes or analysis methods known from the technical field of surveillance electronics, such as image analysis methods and corresponding algorithms, motion analysis methods and corresponding algorithms, statistical and heuristic evaluation methods, and the like, are used to detect user movements that deviate from normal or are atypical. Depending on the movement sequence of a deviating movement, the hazard analysis module can assume a critical situation. A possible implementation of this automated assessment process is described in more detail below.

[0013] As soon as a critical situation is detected, the hazard analysis module sends a warning signal to the interaction module. The warning signal contains at least an identification number of the motion detection module in whose motion sequence recording the critical situation was detected. The interaction module is used for interaction with the monitoring personnel and has at least one screen on which the motion sequence recordings can be displayed or visually presented. Based on the warning signal, the motion sequence recording correlating with the identification number is displayed on a screen of the interaction module.

[0014] Triggered by the warning signal, the interaction module also sends a passenger conveyor system identification number of the passenger conveyor system to the control module, which is assigned to the corresponding identification number of the motion detection module.

[0015] Based on the passenger conveyor system identification number, the control module temporarily establishes a signal connection between a manually operated speed controller of the interaction module and a control unit of the corresponding passenger conveyor system. By operating the speed controller, the operation of this passenger conveyor system can be manually controlled. The speed of the passenger conveyor system is determined by the manually set position of the speed controller.

[0016] In this document, the term "temporary" means that the signal connection is not established permanently due to the warning signal, but is initiated by the warning signal. The cancellation of the established temporary signal connection can occur, for example, based on feedback from the previously mentioned control module that the control of the passenger conveyor system's operation specified by the speed controller has been implemented. However, cancellation can also occur due to another warning signal, in which case a test routine is required.The test routine checks various parameters such as the actuation movement of the speed controller (whether acceleration or deceleration) or the weighting of the critical situation (described in more detail below) and refuses to disconnect the signal connection or instructs the control system of the corresponding passenger conveyor system to automatically regulate the travel operation after the disconnection, so that, for example, a current conveyor speed is maintained, accelerated to nominal speed or braked to a standstill.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention, the conveyor speed can be controlled proportionally to the position of the speed controller during operation of the passenger conveyor system. This has the advantage that the monitoring personnel can carry out the necessary measures, i.e., deceleration or acceleration of the conveyor speed, "by feel" and react even more appropriately to the situation.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, a reduction in the conveyor speed can be manually controlled down to a predefined deceleration limit. This prevents, for example, panic reactions that would cause the escalator or moving walk to stop too abruptly, causing users to fall and damaging the mechanical components of the passenger conveyor system. Furthermore, this allows the standard specifications specified in EN-115, for example, to be correctly implemented.

[0019] In a further embodiment of the invention, an increase in the conveying speed can be manually controlled up to a predetermined acceleration limit. This prevents excessive acceleration from causing falls for users standing on the escalator or moving walkway.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, the reduction in conveyor speed can follow a stored deceleration profile, or the increase in conveyor speed can follow a stored acceleration profile. This overrides the direct implementation of a change in the speed controller position. In other words, although the supervisory personnel can select the conveyor speed by adjusting the corresponding speed controller position, the manual actuation of the speed controller is not proportionally reflected in the change in the deceleration or acceleration of the conveyor speed.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention, a manually operated emergency stop triggering device is provided parallel to the speed controller. Based on the received passenger conveyor identification number, the control module establishes a signal connection between the emergency stop triggering device and the control system of the associated passenger conveyor. Upon manual actuation of the emergency stop triggering device, the operation of the passenger conveyor connected to the emergency stop triggering device is immediately stopped. The monitoring personnel can, if necessary, choose whether to activate the speed controller or the emergency stop triggering device.

[0022] As already mentioned above, an automated process for detecting and assessing critical situations takes place in the hazard analysis module, whereby the deviating movement sequences identified by known analysis methods are extracted from the movement sequence recordings and subsequently assessed. To carry out the assessment process, a set of possible critical situations can be stored in the hazard analysis module. This set includes various atypical movement scenarios that can be compared with the movement sequences extracted from the movement sequence recordings. This set of atypical movement scenarios can be generated, for example, through a machine learning process. Typical critical situations such as falls or careless actions on the passenger conveyor system are recreated using a dummy or stuntman, recorded, and the extracted movement sequences are added to the set as atypical movement scenarios.It is, of course, also possible to create such movement scenarios purely virtually with suitable software and sufficient computing power. Of course, the set can also be supplemented with other atypical movement scenarios that led to an accident during operation of the passenger conveyor system and were not detected by the hazard analysis module. If there is sufficient agreement between an extracted movement sequence and an atypical movement scenario, the hazard analysis module assumes the presence of a critical situation and sends a warning signal to the interaction module.

[0023] Preferably, the various atypical movement scenarios of the set have different weightings in the sense of a hierarchy. Depending on these weightings, different actions can be defined to influence the movement. For example, the control module can only enable the connection between the manually operated emergency stop triggering device and the control of the corresponding passenger conveyor system if a detected user fall has a very high weighting and an emergency stop is defined as the action for this high weighting. The emergency stop is initiated immediately when the monitoring personnel activates the emergency stop triggering device.

[0024] If, for example, a user enters the passenger conveyor system in the opposite direction to its conveying direction, this critical situation can have a medium weighting and for this medium weighting it can be provided that the control module only releases the connection between the manually operated speed controller and the control of the corresponding passenger conveyor system for operation.

[0025] It is also possible for a user to resolve the critical situation themselves, for example, by catching their fall by holding onto the handrail and then standing up again. Once the situation has been detected, this motion sequence recording is immediately displayed on the interaction module's screen so that monitoring personnel can be informed and, if necessary, correct the causes of the near-fall (user distraction, disruptive influences outside the escalator or moving walkway). However, the low weighting ensures that the control module does not release any of the aforementioned connections. It should be noted at this point that establishing a connection does not automatically mean its release.

[0026] To inform the monitoring personnel whether the emergency stop triggering device or the speed controller is enabled, corresponding instructions can be displayed on the screen of the interaction module and / or acoustic instructions can be issued via a loudspeaker on the interaction module.

[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, the monitoring system can comprise multiple motion detection modules that record the motion sequence recordings from at least two different passenger conveyor systems. Each of the motion detection modules has an identification number and assigns this identification number to its motion sequence recordings, or codes its motion sequence recordings accordingly. As soon as the hazard analysis module detects a critical situation in a motion sequence recording, it assigns the warning signal to be issued the same identification number that the corresponding motion sequence recording with the critical situation has. In the interaction module, the identification numbers of the motion detection modules are uniquely assigned to the passenger conveyor system identification numbers, for example, via a table stored in the interaction module.

[0028] In a further embodiment of the invention and with implemented weighting, the hazard analysis module can send warning signals with the corresponding weighting to the interaction module in immediate succession when multiple critical situations are detected simultaneously. The motion sequence recordings are visually and / or acoustically highlighted one after the other based on their weighting. In other words, the motion sequence recording with the most critical situation is highlighted first. As soon as the monitoring personnel taps the confirmation input field, the motion sequence recording with the second most critical situation is highlighted, and so on.

[0029] As already mentioned, users can often save themselves from critical situations, for example, by just barely holding on to the handrail while falling and thus resolving the critical situation themselves. In such cases, the hazard analysis module may already have identified the user's movement sequences as a critical situation before the user has saved themselves. To account for these circumstances, in a further embodiment of the invention, the interaction module can additionally generate a deletion input field based on the warning signal on the screen. By manually tapping the deletion input field, the interaction module can be prompted to delete the warning signal and withdraw the associated display of the corresponding movement sequence recording.By clicking on the deletion input field, the assigned passenger conveyor system identification number is not forwarded to the control module and therefore the operation of the affected passenger conveyor system cannot be influenced.

[0030] If there is any doubt that the monitoring person might press the deletion input field in a hurry despite visual differentiation, these doubts can be remedied with a further development. This development provides that immediately after tapping the deletion input field, the associated motion sequence recording is preferentially analyzed in the hazard analysis module for a predetermined period of time. In other words, this motion sequence recording is further examined for critical situations for a predetermined period of time. If the monitoring person mistakenly taps the deletion input field, the same motion sequence recording immediately "pops up" again along with the deletion input field, and the monitoring person can again select how the surveillance system should react.

[0031] In a further embodiment, when a warning signal is present, the interaction module can issue an acoustic and / or visual warning to the users of the passenger conveyor system via an output module. The output module is arranged in the area of ​​the passenger conveyor system to which the warning signal is assigned. In other words, each passenger conveyor system is assigned at least one output module, which is operated depending on the identification number of the warning signal. This output module is preferably directed towards the passenger conveyor system in such a way that the acoustic warning only addresses the users of this passenger conveyor system or individual users, and not the entire surrounding area. The output module can be a loudspeaker, a loudspeaker system, a screen display, a projector for two-dimensional representations or holograms, and the like.The most effective approach is a combination of audible and visual warnings. The warnings issued can be tailored to the critical situation in question and its resolution, so that if an emergency stop is initiated, other users are warned before the emergency stop is initiated. Ideally, a set of different warnings is available, from which a warning appropriate for the critical situation is automatically selected, for example, based on the weighting described above, and issued via the output module.

[0032] The methods described above can be carried out using a monitoring system. As already mentioned, the monitoring system has at least one hazard analysis module, an interaction module, a control module, at least one motion detection module, and a manually operated speed controller, which are connected to one another via a data network. The data network can comprise wired and wireless connection units such as CAN bus systems, LAN and WLAN networks, Bluetooth connections, internet connections, cloud systems, and the like, which are suitable for exchanging and, if necessary, processing data between the aforementioned modules and the passenger conveyor system connected to the monitoring system; e.g., in cloud solutions in which one or more modules are implemented in a cloud (data cloud).

[0033] As already mentioned, the monitoring system comprises an interaction module with a speed controller. To enable monitoring personnel to manually operate the speed controller, the controller is equipped with a controller actuator, such as a rotary knob or a pivoting lever. Since, as explained above, motion sequence recordings with critical situations can be displayed one after the other and appropriate reactions can be carried out by monitoring personnel, a situation may arise where, during a change, the position of the controller actuator does not correspond to the current travel speed. Therefore, the speed controller preferably has a reset mechanism. Immediately after a connection is established between the control system and the speed controller, this reset mechanism moves the controller actuator to a position that reflects the current travel speed of the passenger conveyor system connected to the speed controller.The reset mechanism also performs the same function when the control module changes the connection to another passenger conveyor system.

[0034] Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereby neither the drawings nor the description are to be interpreted as limiting the invention. Identical or equivalent features have the same reference numerals. They show: Figure 1: a three-dimensional view of several passenger conveyor systems whose operation is to be monitored, as well as a monitoring system with a speed controller for monitoring these passenger conveyor systems; Figure 2: a schematic representation of the processes in the interaction module of the monitoring system from the Figure 1 , if an emergency stop triggering device is also present, as well as signal flows and interactions between one of the Figure 1shown passenger conveyor systems and the control module; Figure 3A: the Figure 1 shown speed controller in side view; Figure 3B: a diagram showing the speed control of the speed controller from Figure 2A; and Figure 4: a diagram showing acceleration and deceleration limits when using the Figure 1 and 3 shown speed controller.

[0035] The Figure 1 shows several passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81 in three-dimensional view, whose operation F is monitored by a monitoring system 1. The monitoring system 1 comprises a hazard analysis module 11, an interaction module 21, a control module 31, and a manually operated speed controller 23. The speed controller 23 is a component of the interaction module 21.

[0036] In order to be able to monitor several passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81, the monitoring system 1 also has several motion detection modules 43, 44, 45, 46, 46+n, 46+2n. In the present exemplary embodiment, two passenger conveyor systems 61, 71 designed as escalators are shown in detail. The balustrade sketched with a dashed line symbolizes a multitude of further passenger conveyor systems 81. Each of these passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81 is assigned two motion detection modules 43, 44, 45, 46, 46+n, 46+2n, which record movement sequence recordings 443, 444, 445, 446, ... from the driving operation F of "their" passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81. Each of the motion detection modules 43, 44, 45, 46, 46+n, 46+2n has an identification number 443T, 444T, 445T, 446T, ... and encodes its motion sequence recordings 443, 444, 445, 446, ... accordingly.

[0037] The aforementioned modules 11, 21, 31, 43, ..., 46+2n are connected to one another via a data network 3. The design of the data network 3 is not shown in detail, as it can be set up in a variety of ways, such as via a local wired and / or wireless data network 3, via internet connections to a data cloud 5, via CAN bus systems, Bluetooth connections, and the like. Relevant to the invention is only that the individual modules 11, 21, 31, 43, ..., 46+2n can exchange data with one another. This data exchange between the individual modules 11, 21, 31, 43, ..., 46+2n can be unidirectional or bidirectional, as well as continuous, sequential, or temporary, as required. The most important connections of the data network 3 are symbolically represented by arrows.It should also be mentioned that the hazard analysis module 11, possibly also a computing unit 29 of the interaction module 21 and / or the control module 31 and their data storage can be implemented in the data cloud 5.

[0038] Using the monitoring system 1, various methods for monitoring the travel operation F of a passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 can be carried out. Of course, the monitoring system 1 shown could also be used to monitor only a single passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81. Each of the motion detection modules 43, ..., 46+2n is directed to an associated passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 and records electronically processable motion sequence recordings 443, ..., 446+2n of situations 101A, 101B, 101C that occur on the associated passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81. This can also include the immediate surroundings of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81. This immediate environment includes, for example, the areas of the building (not shown) in front of the access areas 56, 57, in which the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 is installed.The upstream areas of the structure are also referred to as vestibules and may be monitored by proximity sensors (not shown) of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81. The proximity sensors transmit their detection data to an automatic start / stop system of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81, which is typically implemented in its control system 63, 73.

[0039] Video cameras, thermal imaging cameras, laser scanners, TOF cameras, a combination of multiple sensors, and the like can be used as motion detection modules 43, ..., 46+2n, with their motion sequence recordings 443, ..., 446+2n being recorded accordingly as a video sequence, image sequence, thermal image sequence, etc., in electronically processable form. When using multiple motion detection modules 43, ..., 46+2n per passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81, each motion detection module 43, ..., 46+2n is assigned a specific section or area. These areas preferably overlap so that there are no monitoring gaps in which critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C of users 102A, 102B, 102C could occur without being observed. Possible critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C are described in more detail below using three examples.Since the aim is to achieve the safest possible monitoring, the motion detection modules 43, ..., 46+2n preferably continuously record what is happening on the passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81. This also includes the motion detection modules 43, ..., 46+2n transmitting their motion sequence recordings 443, ..., 446+2n in real time to the hazard analysis module 11.

[0040] The transmitted motion sequence recordings 443, ..., 446+2n are examined in the hazard analysis module 11 using analysis algorithms for critical situations 101A, ..., 101C. These analysis algorithms are based, for example, on known image processing techniques that are optimized and applied in self-learning processes using artificial intelligence in neural networks. A common image processing technique for generating information from an image is, for example, the calculation of a histogram, which provides information about the statistical brightness distribution in the image. Such a histogram can serve, for example, as a configuration for further image processing steps or as information for a human user of a software. Other calculable information about an image includes, for example, its entropy or average brightness.Based on this information, vector analyses can be performed to determine how individual landmarks shift relative to one another, and from this, conclusions can be drawn about the movement scenarios of users 102A, 102B, 102C. Of course, instead of the method steps described above, other analysis techniques and methods known from the technical field of video surveillance can also be used to extract movement sequences of users 101A, 101B, 101C from the motion sequence recordings 443, ..., 446+2n.

[0041] Once a movement sequence of a user 102 (102A, 102B, 102C) has been recognized by the hazard analysis module 11 and extracted, for example, as a skeletal movement sequence, the movement sequence can be compared with a stored set 16 of possible critical situations. More specifically, the critical situations stored in the set 16 represent atypical movement scenarios 15 in potential critical situations. As soon as the hazard analysis module 11 has detected a critical situation 101A, ..., 101C, it sends a warning signal 13A, ..., 13C to the interaction module 21. The warning signal 13A, ..., 13C has at least one identification number 443T, ..., 446T of the motion detection module 43, ..., 46+2n in whose motion sequence recording 443, ..., 446+2n the critical situation 101A, ..., 101C was detected.

[0042] Based on the warning signal 13, ..., 13C, the motion sequence recording 443, ..., 446+2n correlating with the identification number 443T, ..., 446T is displayed on a screen 91 of the interaction module 21. In addition, the interaction module 21 sends to the control module 31 a passenger conveyor system identification number 61T, 71T, 81T of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 that is assigned to the corresponding identification number 443T, ..., 446T of the motion detection module 43, ..., 46+2n. The assignments of the identification number 443T, ..., 446T to the passenger conveyor system identification numbers 61T, 71T, 81T are stored, for example, as a relationship table 93 in a storage medium (not shown) of the computing unit 29 of the interaction module 21.

[0043] Since a critical situation 101A, 101B, 101C is usually a dynamic process, it is quite possible that, using the example of the escalator 71, it is first recorded in the motion sequence recording 443 of the motion detection module 43 located at the top right with respect to the viewing plane and then in the motion sequence recording 444 of the motion detection module 44 located at the bottom left. Since both motion sequence recordings 443, 444 are analyzed simultaneously by the hazard analysis module 11, corresponding warning signals 13A are transmitted one after the other to the interaction module 21, which have different identification numbers 443T, 444T. A logic is implemented in the computing unit 29 of the interaction module 21 which automatically changes the motion sequence recording 443, 444 displayed on the screen 91 according to the chronological order of the warning signals 13A.

[0044] After receiving a passenger conveyor system identification number 61T, 71T, 81T, the control module 31 establishes a temporary signal connection 94 (symbolically represented by a dash-dotted double arrow) between a manually operated speed controller 23 of the interaction module 21 and a controller 63, 73 of the corresponding passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81. By operating the speed controller 23, the travel operation F of this passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 is manually controlled.

[0045] On the Figure 1For a better understanding of the present invention, three critical situations 101A to 101C are shown as examples of the passenger conveyor systems 61, 71 shown and in their immediate vicinity. A set of 16 possible critical situations 15 is present in the hazard analysis module 11, corresponding to these critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C. As already mentioned above, the set comprises 16 different atypical movement scenarios 15, with which movement sequences extracted from the movement sequence recordings 443, ..., 446+2n are compared. The possible location at which such a critical situation 101A, 101B, 101C could even occur can also play a role. An atypical movement scenario 15, which represents a fall in the inclined middle section of an escalator, cannot occur in the same way in the vestibule of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 or in one of the access areas 56, 57.The set 16 of atypical movement scenarios 15 can be generated, for example, through a machine learning process by using a dummy or stuntman to recreate typical critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C, such as falls or careless actions on the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81. The movement sequences recorded and extracted in this way can be included in the set 16 as atypical movement scenarios 15. Of course, the set 16 can also be supplemented with further atypical movement scenarios 15 that led to an accident during the operation of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 and that were not detected by the hazard analysis module 11. If there is sufficient agreement between an extracted movement sequence and an atypical movement scenario 15, the hazard analysis module 11 can assume or determine the existence of a critical situation and send a warning signal 13A, 13B, 13C to the interaction module 21.

[0046] As symbolically represented by differently sized weights 18X, 18Y, 18Z, the various atypical movement scenarios 15 of set 16 have different weightings 18X, 18Y, 18Z in the sense of a hierarchy. The critical situation 101A recorded by the motion detection module 43 is recognized in the hazard analysis module 11 as a "falling down," and the associated warning signal 13A is assigned the highest weighting 18Z, since continuing the movement F could lead to severe injuries to the fallen user 102A.

[0047] The critical situation 101B recorded by the motion detection module 44 is recognized in the hazard analysis module 11 as "entering in the wrong direction," and the associated warning signal 13B is assigned the lowest weighting 18X. By entering incorrectly, the user 102B does not directly endanger himself, but rather disturbs oncoming users exiting the passenger conveyor system 71.

[0048] The critical situation 101C recorded by the motion detection module 46 is recognized in the hazard analysis module 11 as "entering with a shopping cart," and the associated warning signal 13C is assigned a medium weighting of 18Y. In this case, the user 102C is only in danger when she reaches the rising central section of the passenger conveyor system 61 with her shopping cart.

[0049] The monitoring system 1 can, as shown, additionally have an emergency stop triggering device 28. In the present embodiment, such an emergency stop triggering device 28 is implemented in the operating software of the interaction module 21. The Figure 2 shows schematically the processes in the interaction module 21 of the monitoring system 1 from the Figure 1 , if an emergency stop triggering device 28 is also present. Examples are shown in the Figure 2 also signal flows and interactions between the Figure 1 The passenger conveyor system 71 and the control module 31 are shown below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 described together.

[0050] If a manually operated emergency stop triggering device 28 is present in parallel with the speed controller 23, the control module 31 can establish a connection between the emergency stop triggering device 28 and the controller 73 of the associated passenger conveyor system 71 based on a received passenger conveyor system identification number 71T. In the present exemplary embodiment, the software of the interaction module 21 generates a button on the touchscreen of the screen 91 upon receipt of the passenger conveyor system identification number 71T. Upon manual actuation of the emergency stop triggering device 28 or tapping of the button, the travel operation F of the passenger conveyor system 71 connected to the emergency stop triggering device 28 is immediately stopped.

[0051] In principle, it is possible for the control module 31 to connect both the emergency stop triggering device 28 and the speed controller 23 simultaneously to the control system 73 of the corresponding passenger conveyor system 71. In the event of simultaneous actuation of the emergency stop triggering device 28 and the speed controller 23, the signal of the emergency stop triggering device 28 is given priority.

[0052] Preferably, however, the influence on driving operation F is based on the weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z. For example, the control module 31 can only enable the signal connection between the manually operated emergency stop triggering device 28 and the controller 73 of the corresponding passenger conveyor system 71. However, the control module 31 can also only enable the signal connection between the manually operated speed controller 23 and the controller 73 of the corresponding passenger conveyor system 71. It is also possible that the control module 31 does not enable any of the aforementioned connections due to the weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z.

[0053] The functionality of the weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z with regard to the release of the signal connection is described in more detail below using the critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C already described. For this purpose, connection instructions 17 are stored in the computer unit 29 of the interaction module 21. The connection instructions 17 can be retrieved according to the weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z of the warning signal 13A, 13B, 13C. The signal connection is selected based on the weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z or the connection instruction 17 assigned to this weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z. For example, in the critical situation 101A detected by the motion detection module 43, the connection instruction 17A is linked to the passenger conveyor system identification number 71T, whereby the control module 31 connects and releases the affected passenger conveyor system 71 to the emergency stop triggering device 28.When the button of the emergency stop triggering device 28 is tapped, the control system 73 of the affected passenger conveyor system 71 immediately initiates an emergency stop by electrically braking the drive motor 133 of the passenger conveyor system 71, for example via a frequency converter 131, simultaneously engaging the brake 134 of the passenger conveyor system 71 by separating its ventilation magnet 135, and, after the brake 134 has been applied, disconnecting the drive motor 133 from the power supply 130 by opening the motor contactors 132.

[0054] In the critical situation 101C detected by the motion detection module 46, the connection instruction 17B is linked to the passenger conveyor identification number 61T, causing the control module 31 to connect and release the controller 63 of the affected passenger conveyor 61 to the speed controller 23. If the user 102C ignores visual or even acoustic warnings (see below), the monitoring personnel can act on the frequency converter 131 by operating the speed controller 23 and gently reduce the travel speed, even to zero if necessary. This prevents users on the conveyor belt 65 of the passenger conveyor 61 from experiencing an abrupt stop that could cause them to fall. In addition, the user 102C will leave the access area 56 with her shopping cart, since it is impossible for her to pull the shopping cart over the steps of the stationary conveyor belt 65.As soon as the user 102C has left with her shopping cart, the monitoring personnel can increase the speed of the passenger conveyor system 61 again by operating the speed controller 23.

[0055] In the critical situation 101B detected by the motion detection module 44, the connection instruction 17C is linked to the passenger conveyor identification number 71T, causing the control module 31 to block the two previously described signal connections to the speed controller 23 and the emergency stop trigger device 28 for the assigned passenger conveyor 71. In this case, the monitoring personnel has no way of influencing the travel operation F of the affected passenger conveyor 71. As described further below, the control module 31 can issue predefined warnings to the users, for example, via output modules 121, 122, 123, depending on the situation.

[0056] It goes without saying that if two critical situations 101A, 101B occur simultaneously on the same passenger conveyor system 71 and warning signals 13A, 13B are forwarded to the interaction module 21 in quick succession, the connection instruction 17 with the higher weighting 18Z is preferentially implemented by the control module 31.

[0057] Since the monitoring system 1 of the Figure 1 and 2If several passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81 are monitored, it is quite possible that several critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C occur simultaneously, as shown. In this situation, the hazard analysis module 11 sends warning signals 13A, 13B, 13C with the associated weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z to the interaction module 21 in immediate succession. The movement sequence recordings 443, 444, 445, 446, ... are now displayed in the interaction module 21 one after the other, visually and / or acoustically highlighted on the screen 91 based on their weighting 18X, 18Y, 18Z, so that the monitoring personnel can always assess the most critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C first.

[0058] This "sequence" can be implemented in different ways. For example, the corresponding motion sequence recording 443, 444, 445, 446, ... can be highlighted for a predetermined period of time before the next motion sequence recording 443, 444, 445, 446, ... is displayed. Switching to the next motion sequence recording 443, 444, 445, 446, ... can also be accomplished by operating the speed controller 23, the emergency stop trigger device 28, or the deletion input field 20 described below.

[0059] In the present embodiment of the Figure 1Based on the warning signal 13A, 13B, 13C, the interaction module 21 also generates a deletion input field 20 on the screen in addition to the button of the emergency stop triggering device 28. By manually tapping the deletion input field 20, the interaction module 21 is prompted to delete the warning signal 13A, 13B, 13C and to withdraw the associated optical and / or acoustic highlighting of the corresponding movement sequence recording 443, 444, 445, 446, ... or to no longer display it on the screen 91.

[0060] To prevent accidental or incorrect deletion from leading to serious accidents, immediately after tapping the deletion input field 20, the associated motion sequence recording 443, 444, 445, 446, ... is further analyzed for a predetermined period, preferably in the hazard analysis module 11. Since both the actuation of the button of the emergency stop trigger device 28 and the deletion input field 20 are registered and processed by the computing unit 29, further analysis of the motion sequence recording 443, 444, 445, 446, ... can be initiated by feedback from the computing unit 29 to the hazard analysis module 11, as symbolically represented by the three-dotted arrow.

[0061] In order to warn users 102A, 102B, 102C of an impending interference with travel operation F and / or to draw their attention to their incorrect behavior, the control module 31 or the interaction module 21, in the presence of a warning signal 13A, 13B, 13C, issues an acoustic and / or visual warning to users 102A, 102B, 102C of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 via an output module 121, 122, 123. The output module 121, 122, 123 is arranged in the area of ​​the passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81. According to the invention, the control module 31 controls those output modules 121, 122, 123 that belong to the passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 to which the warning signal 13A, 13B, 13C is assigned. The optical and / or acoustic warning contains a message correlating with the critical situation 101A, 101B, 101C. Based on the Figure 1 The critical situations 101A, 101B, 101C shown are described in more detail below.

[0062] In the case of the critical situation 101A, a "fall" was detected by the hazard analysis module 11 and a corresponding warning signal 13A was generated. Its identification number 443T causes the interaction module 21 to select the output module 123 closest to the motion detection module 43. For example, the acoustic warning "Caution: Escalator Emergency Stop," selected based on the weighting 18Z, is sent to this output module 123, which is configured as a loudspeaker, via a wireless connection 97.

[0063] In the case of the critical situation 101B, "access in the wrong direction" was detected by the hazard analysis module 11 and a corresponding warning signal 13B was generated. Its identification number 444T causes the interaction module 21 to select the output module 121 closest to the motion detection module 44. For example, the acoustic warning "Caution: wrong access area," selected based on the weighting 18X, is sent to this output module 123, configured as a loudspeaker, via the wireless connection 97.

[0064] In the case of the critical situation 101C, "prohibited entry with a shopping cart" was detected by the hazard analysis module 11 and a corresponding warning signal 13C was generated. Its identification number 446T causes the interaction module 21 to select the output module 122 closest to the motion detection module 46. For example, an image of a crossed-out shopping cart is sent to this output module 122, designed as a screen, as a visual warning via a wireless connection 97 and displayed on the screen. Of course, a warning tone can also be emitted to draw attention to the output module 122. In principle, any devices capable of emitting an acoustic and / or visual warning can be used as output modules 121, 122, and 123.Particularly effective in this regard are so-called hologram projectors, by means of which, for example, virtual persons can issue warnings to the users 102A, 102B, 102C of the passenger conveyor systems 61, 71, 81.

[0065] The Figure 3A shows the Figure 1 The speed controller 23 shown in side view. This comprises a controller actuator 151, the position of which is sensed and converted into a speed value signal 153. The speed value signal 153 is transmitted to the controller 63, 73 (see also Figure 1 and 2 ) of the affected passenger conveyor system 71, 72, which adjusts the conveyor speed of the conveyor belt 65, 75 to this speed setting. As soon as the position of the regulator actuator 151 is changed, the control system 63, 73 adjusts the speed of the conveyor belt 65, 75 accordingly.

[0066] To switch the speed control of the speed controller 23 from the Figure 3A to illustrate more clearly, shows the Figure 3B a diagram on whose abscissa a position α (position angle) of the controller actuator 151 is plotted and on whose ordinate the conveying speed V of the conveyor belt 65, 75 is plotted. As the dashed line 155 shows, during operation F of the passenger conveyor system a conveying speed V can be controlled proportionally to the position of the controller actuator 151. However, other variants are also possible. The acceleration curve 159 shown with a solid line shows a non-linear transmission when the conveying speed V increases and the deceleration curve 157 shown with a dash-dotted line shows a non-linear transmission when the conveying speed V decreases, for example in order to minimize the risk of users falling.

[0067] As in the Figure 3AAs also shown, the speed controller 23 has a reset mechanism 152 for the controller actuator 151. The reset mechanism 152 has the task of bringing the controller actuator 151 into a position that reflects the current travel speed 81 of the passenger conveyor system 61, 71 connected to the speed controller 23. The reset occurs immediately after a signal connection is established between the controller 63, 73 and the speed controller 23, or when the signal connection is changed to another passenger conveyor system 61, 71, 81 by the control module 31.

[0068] The Figure 4shows a diagram with a predefined acceleration limit value a Amax and a predefined deceleration limit value a Dmax when using the speed controller 23. The time t is plotted on the abscissa of the diagram, and the acceleration a A and the deceleration a D on the ordinate. The dash-dotted line shows an acceleration and deceleration curve 161 such as could be caused by the monitoring personnel without any limits. In order to limit the strength of the accelerations a A and decelerations a D, the reduction in the conveyor speed V follows a stored deceleration profile DS and the increase in the conveyor speed V follows a stored acceleration profile AS, as can be seen from the curved sections of the acceleration and deceleration curve 163 shown with a solid line.The specified acceleration limit a Amax and the specified deceleration limit a Dmax define that they can be manually controlled up to these limits, but cannot be exceeded. In other words, the acceleration limit a Amax and deceleration limit a Dmax prevent an excessively abrupt deceleration a D or an excessive acceleration a A during certain acceleration or deceleration phases of the conveyor belt, such as during start-up or immediately before a complete stop, due to an excessively rapid adjustment of the controller actuator 151.

[0069] Although in the Figure 1 and 2 Escalators are shown, it is obvious that the monitoring system can also be used for moving walks. Furthermore, other timing sequences are possible, particularly for the signal transmissions between the previously described modules 11, 21, 31, 43, ..., 46+2n of monitoring system 1.

[0070] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "having," "comprising," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

Claims

1. Method for monitoring the travel operation (F) of a person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) configured as an escalator or moving walkway by means of a monitoring system (1), wherein the monitoring system (1) has a hazard analysis module (11), an interaction module (21), a control module (31), and at least one motion-sensing module (43, ..., 46+2n), which motion-sensing module (43, ..., 46+2n) is directed towards an associated person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) and can capture electronically processable motion sequence images (443, ..., 446+2n) of situations that occur on the associated person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81), wherein • the motion sequence images (443, ..., 446+2n) are transmitted in real time to the hazard analysis module (11); • the motion sequence images (443, ..., 446+2n) in the hazard analysis module (11) are examined by means of analysis algorithms for critical situations (101A, ..., 101C), and, as soon as a critical situation (101A, ..., 101C) is detected, a warning signal (13A, ..., 13C) is sent to the interaction module (21), wherein the warning signal (13A, ..., 13C) has at least one identification number (443T, ..., 446T) of the motion-sensing module (43, ..., 46+2n) in the motion sequence image (443, ..., 446+2n) of which the critical situation (101A, ..., 101C) was detected; • based upon the warning signal (13, ..., 13C), the motion sequence image (443, ..., 446+2n) correlating with the identification number (443T, ..., 446T) is displayed on a screen (91) of the interaction module (21), characterized in that, • the interaction module (21) sends to the control module (31) a person-transporting installation identification number (61T, 71T, 81T) of the person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) which is associated with the corresponding identification number (443T, ..., 446T) of the motion-sensing module (43, ..., 46+2n); and • the control module (31), based upon the person-transporting installation identification number (61T, 71T, 81T), temporarily establishes a signal connection between a speed controller (23) of the interaction module (21) to be actuated manually and a controller (63, 73) of the corresponding person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein, during travel operation (F) of the person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81), a transporting speed (V) can be controlled proportionally to a position (α) of the speed controller (23).

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein a reduction in the transporting speed (V) down to a predetermined deceleration limit value (aDmax) can be controlled manually.

4. Method according to claim 2, wherein an increase in the transporting speed (V) up to a predetermined acceleration limit value (aAmax) can be controlled manually.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the reduction in the transporting speed (V) follows a stored deceleration profile (DS), or the increase in the transporting speed (V) follows a stored acceleration profile (AS), and, as a result, a direct implementation of a change in the position (α) of the speed controller (23) is overridden.

6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an emergency stop triggering device (28) to be actuated manually is present parallel to the speed controller (23), wherein • on the basis of the received person-transporting installation identification number (61T, 71T, 81T), a connection is established by the control module (31) between the emergency stop triggering device (28) and the controller (63, 73) of the associated person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81), and • when the emergency stop triggering device (28) is actuated manually, the travel operation (F) of the person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) connected to the emergency stop triggering device (28) is immediately stopped.

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a set (16) of possible critical situations is stored in the hazard analysis module (11), wherein the set (16) comprises various atypical motion scenarios (15) with which motion sequences extracted from the motion sequence images (443, ..., 446+2n) are compared, and, in the event of sufficient correspondence between an extracted motion sequence and an atypical motion scenario (15), the existence of a critical situation (101A, ..., 101C) is assumed, and a warning signal (13, ..., 13C) is sent to the interaction module (21).

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the various atypical motion scenarios (15) in the set (16) have different weightings (18X, 18Y, 18Z) in the sense of a ranking.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the travel operation (F) is influenced based upon the weighting (18X, 18Y, 18Z), so that, according to the weighting (18X, 18Y, 18Z) • the control module (31) enables only the connection between the emergency stop triggering device (28) to be actuated manually and the controller (63, 73) of the corresponding person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) for actuation; or • the control module (31) enables only the connection between the speed controller (23) to be actuated manually and the controller (63, 73) of the corresponding person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) for actuation; or • the control module (31) does not enable any of the aforementioned connections.

10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the monitoring system (1) has a plurality of motion-sensing modules (43, ..., 46+2n) that capture motion sequence images (443, ..., 446+2n) of at least two different person-transporting installations (61, 71, 81), wherein each of the motion-sensing modules (43, ..., 46+2n) has an identification number (443T, ..., 446T) and provides its motion sequence images (443, ..., 446+2n) with this number, wherein the hazard analysis module (11) provides the outputted warning signal (13A, ..., 13C) with the corresponding identification number (443T, ..., 446T), and, in the interaction module (21), the person-transporting installation identification numbers (61T, 71T, 81T) are unambiguously assigned to the identification numbers (443T, ..., 446T).

11. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the hazard analysis module (11) sends warning signals (13A, ..., 13C) with the associated weighting (18X, 18Y, 18Z) to the interaction module (21) in immediate succession when a plurality of critical situations (101A, ..., 101C) are recognized simultaneously, wherein the motion sequence images (443, ..., 446+2n) are displayed successively on the screen (91) based upon their weighting (18X, 18Y, 18Z).

12. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, based upon the warning signal (13A, ..., 13C) on the screen (91), the interaction module (21) generates a cancellation input field (20), and, through a manual tapping of the cancellation input field (20), the interaction module (21) is made to cancel the warning signal (13A, ..., 13C) and to withdraw the associated display of the corresponding motion sequence image (443, ..., 446+2n).

13. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, when a warning signal (13A, ..., 13C) is present, the interaction module (21) or control module (31) outputs an acoustic and / or optical warning to the users (102A, ..., 102C) of the person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) via an output module (121, 122, 123), and wherein the output module (121, 122, 123) is arranged in the region of the person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) with which the warning signal (13A, ..., 13C) is associated.

14. Monitoring system (1) for carrying out the method in a person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 configured as an escalator or moving walkway, which monitoring system (1) has at least one hazard analysis module (11), an interaction module (21), a control module (31), at least one motion-sensing module (43, ..., 46+2n), and a speed controller (23) to be actuated manually, which are connected to one another via a data network (3).

15. Monitoring system (1) according to claim 14, wherein a controller actuator (151) of the speed controller (23) has a reset mechanism (152), which reset mechanism (152), immediately after the setting up of a connection between the controller (63, 73) and the speed controller (23) or when the connection to another person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) is changed by the control module (31), brings the controller actuator (151) into a position (α) which represents the current travel speed (V) of the person-transporting installation (61, 71, 81) connected to the speed controller (23).

Images