Stairlift monitoring

Abstract

A connected lift module 105, for use with a stairlift, is configured to receive, in use, information about the stairlift, possibly from sensors 102, and to transmit information about the stairlift, su

Description

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, system, and method for monitoring a stairlift or a plurality of stairlifts. A stairlift is a mobility aid that assists users in traversing an incline. Stairlifts have been used for several years, in order to transport people who have difficulty negotiating staircases from one floor to another. Stairlifts may generally comprise a rail arrangement which runs along a staircase. The rail arrangement may comprise a single rail or a plurality of rails. Stairlifts further comprise a drive unit, which runs along the rail(s) and which supports a load-bearing means typically comprising a support platform such as a seat. Stairlifts may be installed in a wide variety of settings, including domestic, residential settings. By having a stairlift installed in their home, an individual may be able to enjoy living in their home for longer even after they start to have difficulty in negotiating staircases and may delay or even avoid their having to move to an alternative living and / or care setting. This may be beneficial for the individual(s) themselves in terms of their emotional and mental wellbeing. It may also be beneficial for health and social care providers, as it may result in fewer individuals needing to be cared for in specialist care settings. During its service lifetime, a stairlift may become faulty, i.e. not function as it is intended to. For example, this may be due to components failing in the stairlift or consumable parts reaching the end of their service life. It may also be due to user error in operation of the stairlift. Swift diagnostic and resolution of faults in stairlifts is important, since one or more end-users may rely on the stairlift to move between floors of a building as part of their daily lives. A stairlift may include a diagnostic facility. The diagnostic facility may output a signal to a display, e.g. an alpha numeric display, local to the stairlift. Typically, resolution of such faults may require, for example, an end-user to contact a stairlift maintenance service provider to report a fault based on a fault code or indicator shown on the display local to the stairlift. The end user may contact the stairlift maintenance service provider by, for example, telephone or email or a messaging service. If the fault cannot be resolved over the telephone, then the stairlift maintenance provider may send a technician to the site of the stairlift and said technician may then further investigate and / or fix the fault with the stairlift. Before a fault is correctly diagnosed, the technician may not know which part or parts will be needed to be repaired or replaced, in order to restore normal functionality to the stairlift. The technician may have to carry with them all possible parts of the stairlift or come back for a second visit to the stairlift with the necessary parts once they have diagnosed the stairlift. In some cases, user errors may be a simple fix that a user of the stairlift could be instructed to rectify if the nature of the fault was known beforehand. A given stairlift maintenance service provider may be responsible for maintaining stairlifts across a variety of locations, which may be distributed across a wide geographical area. The more stairlifts that the stairlift maintenance service provider has to deal with, the more costly and complex the process of sending technicians out to perform diagnoses on the stairlifts becomes. As used herein, the term stairlift may be understood to refer generally to an installation at a site of use, i.e. comprising a rail arrangement, a drive unit and a load-bearing means and any other components associated therewith. A first aspect provides a connected lift module for use with a stairlift, the connected lift module being configured to receive, in use, information about the stairlift and to transmit information about the stairlift to a remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may provide a communication link between the stairlift and the remote monitoring station. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to receive, in use, information from a location remote from the stairlift, e.g. information from the remote monitoring station. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to be in two-way communication with the remote monitoring station. The stairlift may include one or more sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more operational characteristics of the stairlift or a component thereof. The connected lift module may be operably connected to one or more of the sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more operational characteristics of the stairlift or a component thereof. The information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives may include data from one or more of the sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more operational characteristics of the stairlift or a component thereof. The stairlift may include a diagnostic facility configured to monitor and / or identify faults in the operational performance, e.g. in one or more operational characteristics, of the stairlift or a component thereof. The information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives may include data recorded and / or generated by the diagnostic facility. The data recorded and / or generated by the diagnostic facility may be indicative of a fault in the operational performance, e.g. in one or more operational characteristics, of the stairlift or a component thereof. In implementations, the information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives may include data identifying the stairlift and / or one or more components or parts thereof. The information that the connected lift module receives, in use, may include data that can be used to determine the status of one or more components in the stairlift and / or data that can be used to determine if there are any objects in a vicinity of the stairlift and / or data that can be used to determine an activity of the stairlift. The status of one or more components may be taken to refer to whether the component is functioning correctly or not. The stairlift may include one or more medical sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more health characteristics of a user of the stairlift, e.g. while the user is using the stairlift. Health characteristics of the user of the stairlift that may be measured directly or indirectly by the medical sensor(s) may include weight, blood oxygen saturation level, hydration and / or temperature. The connected lift module may be operably connected to one or more of the sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more health characteristics of a user of the stairlift, e.g. while the user is using the stairlift. The information that the connected lift module receives may include data from one or more medical sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more health characteristics of a user of the stairlift, e.g. while the user is using the stairlift. The stairlift may include one or more environmental sensors configured to measure directly one or more environmental properties, e.g. temperature, humidity and / or ambient lighting conditions, at or near the stairlift. The connected lift module may be operably connected to one or more of the environmental sensors configured to measure directly one or more environmental properties, e.g. temperature, humidity and / or ambient lighting conditions, at or near the stairlift. The information that the connected lift module receives may include data from one or more of the environmental sensors configured to measure directly one or more environmental properties, e.g. temperature, humidity and / or ambient lighting conditions, at or near the stairlift. The connected lift module may be configured to receive, in use, information about the stairlift continuously or periodically, e.g. at regular or irregular intervals. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit, in use, some or all of the information about the stairlift that it receives. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to process or interpret at least a portion of the information it receives and then to transmit the processed / interpreted data to the remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may be provided in a discrete housing. Alternatively or additionally, the connected lift module may be housed at least partially within a component of the stairlift, e.g. at least partially within a rail, a drive unit or a loadbearing means. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to be connected to the stairlift or a component thereof such that it is electronically connected to the stairlift or a component thereof. The connected lift module may be configured to be removably connected, in use, to the stairlift or a component thereof, e.g. via a decouplable electronic connector. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to be wirelessly connected to the stairlift or a component thereof. In implementations, the connected lift module may be integral with the stairlift or a component thereof. In implementations, the connected lift module may be powered at least in part by an onboard power supply. For instance, the connected lift module may be powered at least in part by one or more batteries. The connected lift module may be configured to be powered, in use, from an external source of power, e.g. a mains electricity supply. The connected lift module may be configured to communicate with the remote monitoring station via any suitable means, e.g. via a mobile phone network or via the Internet. The connected lift module may be configured to communicate with the remote monitoring station via a GSM network. The connected lift module may be configured to process at least some of the information about the stairlift before transmitting it to the remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may be configured to process at least some of the information about the stairlift into a human-readable format before transmitting it to the remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit information about the stairlift periodically, e.g. at regular or irregular intervals. The connected lift module may, for example, be configured to transmit information about the stairlift at one-minute intervals, at two-minute intervals, at five-minute intervals, at ten-minute intervals, at 30-minute intervals, hourly, every two hours, every 12 hours, once per day or once per week. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit different information about the stairlift at different times and / or at different intervals. Any period or interval may be selected for the connected lift module’s transmission of information. In an implementation, the connected lift module may be configured to transmit information about the stairlift every time the stairlift is used. For example, the connected lift module may be configured to transmit information about the stairlift every time the stairlift comes to a stop after being used. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit information received from a remote location, e.g. from the remote monitoring station, to the stairlift or a component thereof. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit instructions received from a remote location, e.g. from the remote monitoring station, to the stairlift or a component thereof. For instance, the connected lift module may be configured to transmit software updates received from a remote location, e.g. from the remote monitoring station, to the stairlift or a component thereof. A second aspect provides a stairlift comprising a connected lift module configured to receive, in use, information about the stairlift and to transmit information about the stairlift to a remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may provide a communication link between the stairlift and the remote monitoring station. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to receive, in use, information from a location remote from the stairlift, e.g. information from the remote monitoring station. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to be in two-way communication with the remote monitoring station. The information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives may include data from one or more sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more operational characteristics of the stairlift or a component thereof. The connected lift module may be configured to be connectable to one or more sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more operational characteristics of the stairlift or a component thereof. The information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives may include data recorded and / or generated by a diagnostic facility configured to monitor and / or identify faults in the operational performance, e.g. in one or more operational characteristics, of the stairlift or a component thereof. In implementations, the information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives may include data identifying the stairlift and / or one or more components or parts thereof. The information that the connected lift module receives, in use, may include data that can be used to determine the status of one or more components in the stairlift and / or data that can be used to determine if there are any objects in a vicinity of the stairlift and / or data that can be used to determine an activity of the stairlift. The status of one or more components may be taken to refer to whether the component is functioning correctly or not. The information that the connected lift module receives may include data from one or more medical sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more health characteristics of a user of the stairlift, e.g. while the user is using the stairlift. The information that the connected lift module receives may include data from one or more environmental sensors configured to measure directly one or more environmental properties, e.g. temperature, humidity and / or ambient lighting conditions, at or near the stairlift. The connected lift module may be configured to receive, in use, information about the stairlift continuously or periodically, e.g. at regular or irregular intervals. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit, in use, some or all of the information about the stairlift that it receives. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to process or interpret at least a portion of the information it receives and then to transmit the processed / interpreted data to the remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may be provided in a discrete housing. Alternatively or additionally, the connected lift module may be housed at least partially within a component of the stairlift, e.g. at least partially within a rail, a drive unit or a loadbearing means. In implementations, the connected lift module may be electronically connected to the stairlift or a component thereof. The connected lift module may be configured to be removably connected, in use, to the stairlift or a component thereof, e.g. via a decouplable electronic connector. In implementations, the connected lift module may be configured to be wirelessly connected to the stairlift or a component thereof. In implementations, the connected lift module may be integral with the stairlift or a component thereof. In implementations, the connected lift module may be powered at least in part by an onboard power supply. For instance, the connected lift module may be powered at least in part by one or more batteries. The connected lift module may be configured to be powered, in use, from an external source of power, e.g. a mains electricity supply. The connected lift module may be configured to communicate with the remote monitoring station via any suitable means, e.g. via a mobile phone network or via the Internet. The connected lift module may be configured to communicate with the remote monitoring station via a GSM network. The connected lift module may be configured to process at least some of the information about the stairlift before transmitting it to the remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may be configured to process at least some of the information about the stairlift into a human-readable format before transmitting it to the remote monitoring station. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit information about the stairlift periodically, e.g. at regular or irregular intervals. The connected lift module may, for example, be configured to transmit information about the stairlift at one-minute intervals, at two-minute intervals, at five-minute intervals, at ten-minute intervals, at 30-minute intervals, hourly, every two hours, every 12 hours, once per day or once per week. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit different information about the stairlift at different times and / or at different intervals. Any period or interval may be selected for the connected lift module’s transmission of information. In an implementation, the connected lift module may be configured to transmit information about the stairlift every time the stairlift is used. For example, the connected lift module may be configured to transmit information about the stairlift every time the stairlift comes to a stop after being used. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit information received from a remote location, e.g. from the remote monitoring station, to the stairlift or a component thereof. The connected lift module may be configured to transmit instructions received from a remote location, e.g. from the remote monitoring station, to the stairlift or a component thereof. For instance, the connected lift module may be configured to transmit software updates received from a remote location, e.g. from the remote monitoring station, to the stairlift or a component thereof. A third aspect provides a system for monitoring a stairlift according to the second aspect, the system comprising: the stairlift according to the second aspect; and a remote monitoring station configured to receive information about the stairlift transmitted by the connected lift module. The information transmitted by the connected lift module to the remote monitoring station may include data from one or more sensors and / or an interpretation of the data from one or more sensors. The interpretation may be done by a processor within the connected lift module and / or by a processor within another component of the stairlift. If information is transmitted to the remote monitoring station that is not in a human readable format, the remote monitoring station may be configured to process the information transmitted to it into a human readable format before displaying it. Suitable human readable formats may include any presentation of information that can be presented visually and understood by a human being. Human readable formats may include alphanumeric text, words, numbers, images, pictures, icons, symbols, diagrams and / or infographics. Additionally or alternatively, the remote monitoring station may be configured to output information in any human interpretable format. Human interpretable formats may include human readable formats. Human interpretable formats may include, for example, audible information. The remote monitoring station may be a physical monitoring station or it may be a virtual monitoring station. When it is a virtual monitoring station, it may be accessed through a computing device. When it is a virtual monitoring station it may be hosted on a web-connected platform or portal. The information output and presented by the remote monitoring system may be accessible by one or more authorised users. The remote monitoring station may be configured to detect, based on the information it receives, whether the stairlift has a fault. The remote monitoring station may be configured to determine which part of the stairlift is causing the fault using the information it receives. The remote monitoring station may be configured to determine the status of the stairlift based on the information it receives. The status of the stairlift may be determined by the remote monitoring station to be okay if no fault with the stairlift is indicated by the information transmitted to the remote monitoring station. The status of the stairlift may be determined by the remote monitoring station to comprise a fault if a fault with the stairlift is indicated by the information transmitted to the remote monitoring station. The remote monitoring station may be configured to determine an activity of the stairlift based on the information it receives. The activity of the stairlift may include information about when the stairlift was last used and / or where along the rail the stairlift is and / or any other information pertaining to the activity of the stairlift. The remote monitoring station may be configured to generate troubleshooting prompts based on the type of fault that is detected. The troubleshooting prompts may describe which part(s) of the stairlift are causing the fault and what can be done to rectify the fault and / or how to conduct further diagnoses to determine the cause of the fault. The system may comprise at least one data logger or memory configured to log or store information about the stairlift. One or more of the data loggers or memories may be configured to log or store the information about the stairlift received, in use, by the connected lift module. One or more of the data loggers or memories may be configured to log or store the information about the stairlift transmitted, in use, by the connected lift module. The information stored in the data logger(s) or memory may be accessible by an authorised user of the remote monitoring station. A processor may be configured to analyse the stored information about the stairlift. By analysing the stored and current data of the stairlift, the remote monitoring station may be able to inform an authorised user if and when the stairlift requires servicing and / or maintenance. The remote monitoring station may be configured to suggest spare parts that may be required based on stored and current information about the stairlift. An authorised user may access and use the remote monitoring station. The authorised user may receive information about the stairlift via the remote monitoring station without requiring physical access to the stairlift. Thus, the authorised user may be informed via the remote monitoring station if the stairlift has a fault and / or requires servicing and / or requires maintenance without needing to be physically present at the location of the stairlift. The authorised user may follow any troubleshooting prompts produced by the remote monitoring station or they may be able to contact a person, e.g. an end-user, who is at the site of the stairlift and guide them through the troubleshooting process. There may be more than one authorised user able to access the remote monitoring station. The remote monitoring station may be configured to transmit select information about the stairlift to one or more nominated users. The stairlift may be configured to communicate faults with the stairlift to one or more of the nominated users. The remote monitoring station may be configured to communicate information about the activity of the stairlift to one or more of the nominated users. A fourth aspect provides a system for monitoring a plurality of stairlifts according to the second aspect, the system comprising: a plurality of stairlifts according to the third aspect; and a remote monitoring station configured to receive information about each one of the plurality of stairlifts transmitted by the connected lift modules. An authorised user or users may be able to monitor the operation of more than one stairlift via the remote monitoring station. The information transmitted by one or more of the connected lift modules to the remote monitoring station may include data from one or more sensors and / or an interpretation of the data from one or more sensors. The interpretation may be done by a processor within the connected lift module and / or by a processor within another component of the stairlift. If information is transmitted to the remote monitoring station that is not in a human readable format, the remote monitoring station may be configured to process the information transmitted to it into a human readable format before displaying it. Suitable human readable formats may include any presentation of information that can be presented visually and understood by a human being. Human readable formats may include alphanumeric text, words, numbers, images, pictures, icons, symbols, diagrams and / or infographics. Additionally or alternatively, the remote monitoring station may be configured to output information in any human interpretable format. Human interpretable formats may include human readable formats. Human interpretable formats may include, for example, audible information. The remote monitoring station may be a physical monitoring station or it may be a virtual monitoring station. When it is a virtual monitoring station, it may be accessed through a computing device. When it is a virtual monitoring station it may be hosted on a web-connected platform or portal. The information output and presented by the remote monitoring system may be accessible by one or more authorised users. The remote monitoring station may be configured to detect, based on the information it receives, whether the stairlift has a fault. The remote monitoring station may be configured to determine which part of the stairlift is causing the fault using the information it receives. The remote monitoring station may be configured to determine the status of the stairlift based on the information it receives. The status of the stairlift may be determined by the remote monitoring station to be okay if no fault with the stairlift is indicated by the information transmitted to the remote monitoring station. The status of the stairlift may be determined by the remote monitoring station to comprise a fault if a fault with the stairlift is indicated by the information transmitted to the remote monitoring station. The remote monitoring station may be configured to determine an activity of the stairlift based on the information it receives. The activity of the stairlift may include information about when the stairlift was last used and / or where along the rail the stairlift is and / or any other information pertaining to the activity of the stairlift. The remote monitoring station may be configured to generate troubleshooting prompts based on the type of fault that is detected. The troubleshooting prompts may describe which part(s) of the stairlift are causing the fault and what can be done to rectify the fault and / or how to conduct further diagnoses to determine the cause of the fault. The system may comprise at least one data logger or memory configured to log or store information about the stairlift. One or more of the data loggers or memories may be configured to log or store the information about the stairlift received, in use, by the connected lift module. One or more of the data loggers or memories may be configured to log or store the information about the stairlift transmitted, in use, by the connected lift module. The information stored in the data logger(s) or memory may be accessible by an authorised user of the remote monitoring station. A processor may be configured to analyse the stored information about the stairlift. By analysing the stored and current data of the stairlift, the remote monitoring station may be able to inform an authorised user if and when the stairlift requires servicing and / or maintenance. The remote monitoring station may be configured to suggest spare parts that may be required based on stored and current information about the stairlift. An authorised user may access and use the remote monitoring station. The authorised user may receive information about the stairlift via the remote monitoring station without requiring physical access to the stairlift. Thus, the authorised user may be informed via the remote monitoring station if the stairlift has a fault and / or requires servicing and / or requires maintenance without needing to be physically present at the location of the stairlift. The authorised user may follow any troubleshooting prompts produced by the remote monitoring station or they may be able to contact a person, e.g. an end-user, who is at the site of the stairlift and guide them through the troubleshooting process. More than one authorised user may be able to access the remote monitoring station. The remote monitoring station may be configured to transmit select information about the stairlift to one or more nominated users. The stairlift may be configured to communicate faults with the stairlift to one or more of the nominated users. The remote monitoring station may be configured to communicate information about the activity of the stairlift to one or more of the nominated users. A fifth aspect provides a method of monitoring a stairlift, the method comprising: using one or more sensors comprised in a stairlift to obtain information about the stairlift; communicating information about the stairlift to a connected lift module according to the first aspect; communicating information about the stairlift to a remote monitoring station using the connected lift module; and using the remote monitoring station to monitor the stairlift. The method may comprise using the connected lift module to interpret information it receives about the stairlift and communicating the interpretation to the remote monitoring station. The interpretation may comprise converting the information into a human-readable format. The method may comprise using the remote monitoring station to interpret information it receives about the stairlift from the connected lift module. The interpretation may comprise converting the information into a human readable format. The information communicated to the remote monitoring station may comprise data from the one or more sensors comprised in the stairlift. The method may comprise the remote monitoring station detecting, based on the information it receives about the stairlift, whether the stairlift has a fault. The remote monitoring station may be configured to determine which part of the stairlift is causing the fault using the information it receives. The method may comprise the remote monitoring station determining an activity of the stairlift based on the information it receives. The method may comprise the remote monitoring station generating one or more troubleshooting prompts based on the nature of any faults that are detected. The method may comprise communicating information from the stairlift to the connected lift module and from the connected lift module to the remote monitoring station on a periodic basis. The method may comprise storing information received about the stairlift on the remote monitoring station. The method may comprise the remote monitoring station analysing stored and / or current information about the stairlift. The method may comprise transmitting select information about the stairlift to one or more nominated users. A sixth aspect provides a method of monitoring a plurality of stairlifts, the method comprising: using the method according to the fifth aspect with a plurality of stairlifts; wherein the connected lift module of each of the plurality of stairlifts communicates information about the stairlift to the same remote monitoring station using their associated connected lift module. As used herein, the term “end-user” or the like may be understood to refer to an individual or individuals who make use of the stairlift to assist them in negotiating a staircase from one floor to another. As used herein, the term “authorised user” or the like may be understood to refer to an individual or individuals who are authorised to access the information about the stairlift that is presented at the remote monitoring station. Typically, an authorised user may have responsibility for, or work for an organisation having responsibility for, monitoring and / or maintaining the stairlift. As used herein, the term “nominated user” or the like may be understood to refer to an individual or individuals nominated by the end-user to be informed by the authorised user in certain circumstances if the information presented at the remote monitoring station raises a particular concern, e.g. regarding the health or wellbeing of the enduser. For instance, a significant change in a normal pattern of use of a stairlift or an unusually long time between uses of a stairlift may be indicative of a change or a decline in an end-user’s activity, which may be used to prompt a nominated user such as healthcare worker or relative to check on the health or wellbeing of the end-user. The skilled person will appreciate that except where mutually exclusive, a feature or parameter described in relation to any one of the above aspects may be applied to any other aspect. Furthermore, except where mutually exclusive, any feature or parameter described herein may be applied to any aspect and / or combined with any other feature or parameter described herein. Example implementations will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows schematically an example of a stairlift with a connected lift module; Figure 2 shows an example of a system for monitoring a stairlift; Figure 3 shows an example of a system for monitoring a plurality of stairlifts; Figure 4 shows a flowchart for a method of monitoring a stairlift; Figure 5 shows a flowchart for a method of connecting a stairlift to a connected lift module; Figure 6 shows a screenshot of an interface of a remote monitoring station that is configured to allow a user to connect a connected lift module to the remote monitoring station and to the stairlift; Figure 7a and Figure 7b show screenshots of an interface of a remote monitoring station that may be used to get an overview of a plurality of stairlifts being monitored; and Figures 8-12 show screenshots of interfaces of a remote monitoring station that may be used to view information about a particular stairlift. Figure 1 shows schematically an example of a stairlift 100. The stairlift 106 includes a rail arrangement including a rail 106 which runs along at least a portion of a staircase. The stairlift 100 includes a drive unit 101, which is connected to, and runs along, the rail 106, in use, and which supports a load-bearing means (not shown) comprising a support platform such as a seat. The drive unit 101 is configured to translate the support platform along the rail 106. The stairlift 100 includes a diagnostic facility 107. The diagnostic facility 107 includes one or more sensors 102, a processor 103, and a storage medium 104. The one or more sensors 102 and the storage medium 104 are operably connected to the processor 103. In implementations, the sensor(s) 102, the processor 103 and the storage medium 104 may be disposed at least in part within any suitable component of, or associated with, the stairlift 100. Generally, the one or more sensors 102 is / are configured to obtain data that can be used to determine the status of one or more components of, or associated with, the stairlift 100 and / or to determine if there are any objects in the vicinity of the stairlift 100 and / or to determine an activity of the stairlift 100. The status of one or more components of the stairlift 100 may be determined as either okay or faulty depending upon whether the component is working correctly or not. An activity of the stairlift 100 may include information about a movement of the drive unit 101. The one or more sensors 102 may include one or more limit switches comprised in the stairlift 100. The one or more limit switches may be comprised in key areas of the stairlift 100 such as in the or a footrest and / or areas around the rail 106. More generally, the one or more limit switches may be disposed on outer boundaries and / or inner boundaries of the stairlift 100. One or more of the limit switches may be microswitches. One or more of the limit switches may be configured to determine if there are any objects in the vicinity of the stairlift 100. The one or more sensors 102 may include one or more voltage and / or current sensors. The voltage and / or current sensors may be configured to measure a battery voltage of the stairlift 100. The voltage and / or current sensors may be configured to measure the voltage and / or current of the or a power supply to which the stairlift 100 is connected. The voltage and / or current sensors may be configured to measure the voltage across any component of the stairlift 100. The voltage and / or current sensors may be configured to measure the current through any component of the stairlift 100. The voltage and / or current measured across / through a given component of the stairlift 10 may be used to determine if the component is operating normally or may be faulty. The one or more sensors 102 may include one or more accelerometers and / or gyroscopes. The accelerometers and / or gyroscopes may be configured to measure any aspect of the movement, e.g. position, speed, velocity, orientation, acceleration and / or distance travelled, of the drive unit 101. The accelerometers and / or gyroscopes may be configured to measure translational and / or rotational movement of the drive unit 101. The one or more sensors 102 may include one or more incremental and / or absolute encoders. One or more of the incremental and / or absolute encoders may be configured to measure the position of the drive unit 101, i.e., to measure where along the rail 106 the drive unit 101 is. In some implementations, the stairlift 100 may include one or more medical sensors (not shown). The medical sensor(s) may be configured to detect information relating to the health of a user of the stairlift 100. For example, the medical sensor(s) may comprise a heart rate sensor configured to measure a heart rate of a user of the stairlift 100 and / or the medical sensor(s) may comprise a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of a user of the stairlift 100. The processor 103 is configured to execute instructions. The instructions may be stored in the storage medium 104 or in another memory location. The processor 103 may include one or more processing units for executing instructions. The processor 103 is operatively coupled to the stairlift 100 such that it can control the movement of the drive unit 10 along the rail 106. The processor 103 may execute instructions that enable it to interpret data received from the one or more sensors 102. The processor 103 may interpret data received from the one or more sensors 102 by comparing the values of the data to one or more threshold values. Interpretation of the data received from the one or more sensors 102 may include determining if the data indicates that there is a fault with the stairlift 100 or any of the components of the stairlift 100. The processor 103 may use data it receives from the one or more sensors 102 to determine how to control the movement of the drive unit 101 along the rail 106. For example, if the one or more sensors 102 relay data to the processor 103 that the processor 103 interprets as indicating a component fault, the processor 103 may cause the drive unit 101 to stop moving. If the one or more sensors 102 relay data to the processor 103 that the processor 103 interprets as indicating an object in the vicinity of the stairlift 100, the processor 103 may cause the drive unit 101 to stop moving. The processor 103 may be configured to generate fault codes based on the data it receives from the one or more sensors 102. The fault codes may be configured to indicate the nature of a fault indicated in the stairlift 100 by the data from the one or more sensors 102. The processor 103 may be configured to store data from the one or more sensors 102 and / or an interpretation of data from the one or more sensors 102 in the storage medium 104. The processor 103 may be configured to store the data and / or an interpretation of the data alongside a timestamp of when the data and / or interpretation was determined. The processor 103 may be configured to store fault codes in the storage medium 104 with or without a timestamp of when the fault code was determined. The processor 103 may be configured to store in the storage medium 104 a snapshot of the data from one or more, e.g. all, of the sensors at the time a fault code was determined alongside the fault code and a timestamp of when the fault code was determined. Any given one of the one or more sensors 102 may be configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more operational characteristics of the stairlift 100 or a component thereof continuously or at intervals, e.g. at regular or irregular intervals or at times specified by a user. The processor 103 may be configured to continuously and / or periodically receive and / or process sensor data. The connected lift module 105 is configured to communicate information about the stairlift 100 from the stairlift 100 to a remote monitoring station (not shown). Further information on the remote monitoring station will be given below with reference to Figure 2. The connected lift module 105 may be disposed at least in part within, or be associated with, any component of the stairlift 100. The connected lift module 105 may be provided in a housing separate from any other component of the stairlift 100. In implementations, the connected lift module 105 may be configured to communicate with the remote monitoring station via the cloud. It may do this, for example, via a mobile phone network such as a GSM network. When communicating via a mobile phone network, the connected lift module 105 may comprise a SIM card that enables communication via the mobile phone network. The connected lift module 105 may be configured to communicated with the remote monitoring station via any suitable means. The connected lift module 105 is configured to receive information about the stairlift 100. The information received by the connected lift module 105 may be data measured by the one or more sensors 102 and / or to interpretations of the data measured by the one or more sensors 102 produced by the processor 103. The connected lift module 105 may be configured to receive the data directly from the one or more sensors 102. The connected lift module 105 may be configured to receive interpretations of the data produced by the processor 103 directly from the processor 103. The connected lift module may be configured to receive data measured by the one or more sensors 102 that are stored in the storage medium 104 and / or interpretations produced by the processor 103 that are stored in the storage medium 104. Said data may be any of the data described above as possibly being stored in the storage medium 104. The connected lift module 105 may be configured to process or interpret any information that it receives. For example, the connected lift module 105 may be configured to process any information it receives from the stairlift 101 that is not in a human readable format into a human readable format such as text and / or images. A description of how a non-limiting example of a stairlift 100 comprising a connected lift module 105 may work in use now follows. The one or more sensors 102 take measurements to obtain data that can be used to determine the status of one or more components comprised in the stairlift 100 and / or to obtain data that can be used to determine if there any objects in the vicinity of the stairlift 100 and / or to determine an activity of the stairlift 100. The data obtained are then transmitted to the processor 103. The processor 103 controls the operations of the stairlift 100 and interprets the data received from the sensors 102. The interpretation of the data by the processor 103 may include determining if the data the processor 103 receives from the sensor(s) 102 is indicative of one or more faults. If a fault is indicated, the processor 103 may generate a fault code and store it in the storage medium 104. The connected lift module 105 then receives data obtained by the one or more sensors and / or any interpretations of the data performed by the processor. The connected lift module 105 may further interpret the data and / or the interpretation(s) it receives. The connected lift module 105 then communicates the information it has received about the stairlift 101 to the cloud. The transmission of the data to the cloud and what happens to it thereafter will be described below with reference to Figure 2. The connected lift module 105 may transmit information to the remote monitoring station periodically. The period may, for example, be every minute, or every hour, or every two hours, or every day, or every week. The connected lift module 105 may transmit different data in different periods. The connected lift module 105 may transmit information to the remote monitoring station every time the stairlift 100 is used and the drive unit 101 subsequently comes to a stop. The connected lift module 105 may receive information from the remote monitoring station and / or the cloud and transmit it to the stairlift 100. For example, the connected lift module 105 may receive software updates from the remote monitoring station and / or the cloud and transmit them to the stairlift 100, in order to update the software on the stairlift 100. The connected lift module 105 may be configured to instruct the processor 102 of the stairlift 100 such that instructions may be relayed remotely to the stairlift 100 via the connected lift module 105. A system 200 for monitoring a stairlift 201 is depicted schematically in Figure 2. The stairlift 201 is essentially the same as the stairlift 100 described in reference to Figure 1 above. The stairlift 201 comprises a connected lift module 205. The connected lift module 202 is the same as the connected lift module 105 described in reference to Figure 1 above. The stairlift 201 is in communication with a remote monitoring station 205. The communication between the stairlift 201 and the remote monitoring station 205 is wireless. This communication is facilitated by the connected lift module 202. The connected lift module 202 transmits information about the stairlift 201 from the stairlift 201 to the cloud 204. The information is then transmitted from the cloud 204 to the remote monitoring station 205. Information may also be transferred in the other direction, i.e., from the remote monitoring station 205 to the stairlift 201 via the cloud 204. The connected lift module 202 may receive information from the cloud 204 and transmit it to the stairlift 201. For example, the connected lift module 202 may receive software updates from the cloud 204 and transmit them to the stairlift 201, in order to update the software on the stairlift 201. The connected lift module 202 may be configured to instruct the processor of the stairlift 201 such that instructions may be relayed remotely to the stairlift 201 via the connected lift module 202. In some examples, the connection between the connected lift module 202 and the remote monitoring station 205 may be via a wired connection. The connected lift module 202 may be connected to the internet via a broadband connection. The connected lift module 202 may transmit information to the cloud 204 via a mobile phone network, or via a broadband connection. Generally, the connected lift module 202 may transmit data to the cloud 204 by any suitable means. The information transmitted from the stairlift 201 to the remote monitoring stations 205 may be data measured by one or more sensors comprised in the stairlift 201 that is received by the connected lift module 202 and / or data interpreted by the stairlift 201, for example by the processor of the stairlift 201, received by the connected lift module 202 and / or data processed or interpreted by the connected lift module 202. If information that is not human readable is transmitted to the remote monitoring station 205, the remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to process the information it receives into another form - for example a text and / or image form that is intended to be human readable. The remote monitoring station 205 may be a physical monitoring station or it may be a virtual monitoring station. When it is a virtual monitoring station, it may be accessed through a computing device, for example a mobile phone or a tablet computer or a laptop or a PC. When it is a virtual monitoring station, it may be hosted on a web-connected platform that requires authentication for access such that only authorised users are able to access the virtual monitoring station. The remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to detect, based on the information it receives, whether the stairlift 201 has a fault. The remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to determine, in the situation that a fault is detected with the stairlift 201, which part of the stairlift 201 is causing the fault. The remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to determine the status of the stairlift 201 based on the information it receives. The status of the stairlift 201 may be determined by remote monitoring station 205 to be okay if no fault with the stairlift 201 is indicated by the information transmitted to the remote monitoring station 205. The status of the stairlift 201 may be determined by the remote monitoring station 205 to include a fault if a fault with the stairlift 201 is indicated by the information transmitted to the remote monitoring station 205. The remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to detect, based on the data it receives, an activity of the stairlift 201. An activity of the stairlift 201 may comprise information about when the stairlift 201 was last used. An activity of the stairlift 201 may comprise information about whether the drive unit of the stairlift 201 is at its upper or lower end point of travel. An activity of the stairlift 201 may comprise any other information that pertains to the activity of the stairlift 201. The remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to generate troubleshooting prompts based on the type of fault that is detected. The troubleshooting prompts may describe which part(s) of the stairlift are causing the fault and what can be done to rectify the fault and / or how to conduct further diagnoses to determine the cause of the fault. The remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to store information received from the stairlift 201. The remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to analyse the stored and current information of the stairlift 201. By analysing the stored and current information of the stairlift 201, the remote monitoring station 205 may be configured to determine if and / or when the stairlift 201 requires servicing and / or maintenance. The remote monitoring station 205 may suggest spare parts that may be required based on stored and current information of the lift. The remote monitoring station 205 may do this by identifying, based on the information transmitted to the remote monitoring station 205, if, and which, components of the stairlift 201 may have a fault with them. An authorised user 206 may access / use the remote monitoring station 205. The authorised user 206 can receive information about the stairlift 201 via the remote monitoring station 205 without requiring physical access to the stairlift 201. The authorised user 206 is informed via the remote monitoring station 205 if the stairlift 201 has a fault and / or requires servicing and / or requires maintenance without needing to be physically present at the location of the stairlift 201. The authorised user 206 may follow the troubleshooting prompts produced by the remote monitoring station 205 or they may be able to contact a person who is it at the site of the stairlift 201 and guide them through the troubleshooting process. The authorised user 206 may be a technician skilled in the repair and / or maintenance of stairlifts. The authorised user may use the remote monitoring station 205 to determine if the stairlift 201 has a fault that warrants them travelling to the site of the stairlift 201, and / or sending a skilled technician to the site of the stairlift 201, and / or if they can contact the owner / user of the stairlift 201 and talk them through how to rectify the fault. For example, if the fault indicated by the remote monitoring station 205 is due to an object blocking the path of travel of the drive unit of the stairlift 201, the authorised user 206 may elect to contact the owner / user of the stairlift 201 and tell them that the obstruction from the path of the stairlift 201 needs to be removed. Conversely, if the fault indicated by the remote monitoring station 205 is due to a failed part of the stairlift that needs to be replaced, the authorised user 206 may elect to go to the site of the stairlift 201 and make the replacement or send a skilled technician to do the same. There may be more than one authorised user able to access the remote monitoring station 205. There may additionally be nominated users to whom select information is transmitted from the remote monitoring station 205. For example, faults with the stairlift 201 may be communicated to the owner of the stairlift 201 and / or family members of a user of the stairlift 201 and / or care providers associated with the stairlift 201. If the remote monitoring station 205 determines a period of no use of the stairlift 201 exceeding a threshold value, the remote monitoring station 205 may transmit this information to an owner of the stairlift 201 and / or family members of a user of the stairlift 201 and / or care providers associated with the stairlift 201. A system 300 for monitoring a plurality of stairlifts 301, all of which are essentially the same as the stairlift 201 described in relation to Figure 2, is shown schematically in Figure 3. Each stairlift 301 comprises a connected lift module 302 substantially as described in relation to Figure 1 above. The connected lift module 302 of each of the stairlifts 310 transmits data via the cloud 304 to a remote monitoring station 305. The remote monitoring station 305 is essentially the same as the remote monitoring station 205 described above in relation to Figure 2, except that this remote monitoring station 305 is configured to receive information from each stairlift 301 and perform at least the same analysis and processes for each stairlift 301 as was described for the single stairlift 201 above in relation to Figure 2. An authorised user 306 may now monitor and / or manage the plurality of stairlifts 301 from the remote monitoring station 305. The authorised user 306 can view information on the plurality of stairlifts 301 from a single place. A flowchart 400 for a method of connecting a connected lift module to a stairlift is shown in Figure 4. At step 401, a connected lift module is connected to a stairlift. The connected lift module may be connected physically to the stairlift such that there is an electrical connection formed between the connected lift module and the stairlift or the connected lift module may be connected to the stairlift wirelessly. At step 402, an authorised user uses the remote monitoring station to register a new stairlift for monitoring. This may include entering one or more of a serial number corresponding to the stairlift, an identifier corresponding to the connected lift module, and / or the geographical address at which the stairlift is installed. At step 403, the connected lift module connects to the remote monitoring station, e.g. via the cloud, and verifies that the authorised user is authorised to access the stairlift. For instance, the connected lift module may connect to the remote monitoring station and verify that the serial number of the stairlift corresponds to a serial number that the authorised user is authorised to access. If the authorised user is not authorised to access the serial number, the connecting process fails and no data may be transmitted from the stairlift to the remote monitoring station. At step 404, if the authorised user is authorised to access the stairlift, e.g. because the serial number and the module identifier corresponds to an identifier of the installed connected lift module and the site address is correct, the connected lift module is paired to the stairlift and information may then be transmitted from the stairlift to the remote monitoring station, e.g. via the cloud. The stairlift and the connected lift module may have further mutual authentication features. A flowchart 500 for a method of monitoring a stairlift is shown in Figure 5. At step 501, a connected lift module is paired to a stairlift. This pairing may be according to the method outlined in reference to Figure 4 above. At step 502, information about the stairlift is transmitted from the stairlift to a remote monitoring station using a connected lift module associated with the stairlift. This transmission of information may be of any of the types described herein. The information transmission may occur, for example, every time the drive unit comes to a stop after use and / or at regular intervals when the stair lift is not being used. Transferring information every time the drive unit comes to a stop may allow prompt diagnosis of any faults and / or developing problems with the stairlift. At step 503, information is displayed on the remote monitoring station. The remote monitoring station also processes the information it receives and may generate troubleshooting prompts and / or spare part suggestions and / or provide an indication of scheduled and / or preventative maintenance that is needed. The remote monitoring station may also store all information it receives from the stairlift. The remote monitoring station can display both the current and historic status of the stairlift. The historic status may include log files from each time that data is transferred from the stairlift to the remote monitoring station. If and when a fault occurs, a visual cue is displayed on the remote monitoring station. Information about the fault such as data from sensors and / or fault codes and / or troubleshooting information may be displayed on the remote monitoring station. Selected faults and statuses may also be shared with nominated users. Analysis of historic data may allow for the identification of, for example, persistent problems with one or more components of a stairlift. This information may be useful, for instance, in developing, designing, manufacturing and / or installing new stairlifts. Alternatively or additionally, the information may be useful, for instance, in scheduling maintenance programmes. Analysis of data from a plurality of stairlifts, e.g. historic data from a plurality of stairlifts, may allow for the identification of, for example, problems with one or more components across the plurality of stairlifts. Thus, for example, preventative maintenance may be carried out within a given plurality of stairlifts following the identification of a problem or a perceived problem with one or more stairlifts within the given plurality of stairlifts. Therefore, the stairlift(s) may be less likely to be out of order at any one time. Figures 6 to 12 show screenshots of an example of a user interface that a remote monitoring station may display to a user and that the user may interact with to monitor a plurality of stairlifts. This particular remote monitoring station is a virtual remote monitoring station and may be accessed using a computing device, e.g. a desktop or laptop computer or a handheld computing device such as a smartphone or a tablet computer. Figure 6 shows a first screenshot 600 which shows a section of the user interface that a user may use to pair a connected lift module to a stairlift and to the remote monitoring station according to the method 400 described in relation to Figure 4 above. A first user input field 601 is used to input a serial number of a stairlift. A second user input field 602 is used to input an identifier of the connected lift module. Multiple user input fields 603 are used to input the address of the stairlift. The user may scan the serial number of the stairlift using a live camera or a picture of the stairlift’s serial number instead of inputting the stairlift’s serial number manually. The user may scan the identifier of the connected lift module using a live camera or a picture of the connected lift module’s identifier instead of inputting the connected lift module’s identifier manually. Following the method 400 described in relation to Figure 4 above, if the connected lift module is successfully paired to the stairlift and registered on the remote monitoring station, the remote monitoring station will then be able to be used to monitor the stairlift. Figure 7a shows a second screenshot 700a showing an interface of the virtual monitoring station that may be used to get an overview of the statuses of a plurality of stairlifts. In the second screenshot 700a, information relating to 12 stairlifts is shown. There is a table depicted wherein each row corresponds to one of the stairlifts being monitored. Each column of the table corresponds to a different property assigned to each stairlift. The columns include product type which indicates the model of stairlift that is being monitored, the serial number of the stairlift 702, the last time the stairlift was moved 703, and the status of the stairlift 704. In other examples, more or fewer properties may be assigned to each stairlift. The column that indicates the status of the stairlift 704 has a status indicator. This status indicator includes some text and may have a green background when no fault is indicated. This status indicator may have a red background when a fault is indicated. There is also comprised a search bar 701 that allows the user to search for a specific stairlift that is being monitored. The fifth row 705 from the top of the table corresponds to a stairlift that has the following properties: Serial Number: PR000001 - Last Moved: 14.05.2024 10:10 Status: OKAY A user accessing the virtual monitoring station and viewing the overview of the plurality of stairlifts as depicted in the second screenshot 700a would be informed that the stairlift corresponding to the fifth row 705, for example, was last moved at the above-mentioned date and time and currently has no faults. A fifth row status indicator 706a reads “OKAY” which indicates that there is no fault with this stairlift and may have a green background which may help to indicate that there is no fault to a user more clearly. In the second screenshot 700a, the status of all of the stairlifts is “OKAY” which indicates that no faults are present in any of the stairlifts being monitored. In Figure 7b, a third screenshot 700b shows the same interface of the virtual monitoring station that is shown by the second screenshot 700a in Figure 7a. In the third screenshot 700b, everything is identical to the second screenshot 700a, except for the fifth row 705. In the third screenshot 700b, the fifth row 705 corresponds to the same stairlift as it did in the second screenshot 700a and its properties in each column remain unchanged except for the property in the status column 704. The fifth row 705 in the third screenshot 700b corresponds to a stairlift that has the following properties: Serial Number: PR000001 - Last Moved: 14.05.2024 10:10 Status: FAULT A user accessing the virtual monitoring station and viewing the overview of the plurality of stairlifts as depicted in the third screenshot 700b would be informed that the stairlift corresponding to the fifth row 705 was last moved at the above-mentioned date and time and is currently displaying a fault. A fifth-row status indicator 706b now reads “FAULT” which indicates that there is a fault with this stairlift and may have a red background which may help to indicate that there is a fault to a user more clearly. The user would also be informed that the other stairlifts depicted in the third screenshot 700b are currently displaying no faults and when the other stairlifts were last moved. In Figure 8, a fourth screenshot 800 shows an interface of the virtual monitoring station that may be used to monitor an individual stairlift. This interface may be accessed from the interface shown in the second screenshot 700a and the third screenshot 700b by clicking on the fifth row 705. The fourth screenshot 800 shows details about the stairlift that is being monitored such as the type of stairlift, the serial number of the stairlift 802, an identifier 803 of the connected lift module associated with the stairlift and the address at which the stairlift is registered 804. The fourth screenshot 800 also shows scheduled service information 801. The scheduled service information 801 depicts the due date of the next scheduled service for the stairlift - in this case 26.04.2025. This allows an authorised user of the virtual monitoring station to easily see when the next scheduled service for the stairlift is. A similar interface as depicted in the fourth screenshot 800 is available for each of the stairlifts that is being monitored. In Figure 9, a fifth screenshot 900 shows an interface of the virtual monitoring station that may be used to get further information regarding an individual stairlift. The stairlift in question is the same stairlift which the fourth screenshot 800 relates to. This portion of the virtual monitoring station may be accessed by scrolling down the interface that is depicted in the fourth screenshot 800. This portion of the virtual monitoring station gives technical information regarding the stairlift that is being monitored. A status indicator 901 is present and in this screenshot shows a fault with the stairlift. This status indicator occurs as a textbox. When a fault is indicated, the textbox may have a red background in order to alert the user of the virtual monitoring station. Information regarding how many total trips the stairlift has made is shown by a trip count indicator 904. Information regarding how many hours have passed since the stairlift was last moved is given by a movement indicator 905. The date and time the stairlift was last moved is given by a last movement indicator 906. The date and time of the last data transfer received from the stairlift is given by a last pinged indicator 907. These indicators are in a summary section at the top of the fifth screenshot 900. The summary of this stairlift reads: Status: FAULT Trip Count: 14 Hours Without Movement: 5 - Last Moved: 14.05.2024 11:38 - Last Pinged: 14.05.2024 16:38 The fifth screenshot 900 also shows the statuses of different components of the stairlift. The charge status of the stairlift, the status of batteries that may be comprised in the stairlift, the fault status of the main relay, the fault status of a missed encoder pulse, and the fault status of a thermal cutout comprised in the stairlift are a selection of the statuses of different components that are shown. There is a final limit status indicator 902 that shows a fault. The text used to show this reads “FAULT” and may be coloured red to more clearly indicate the fault to a user viewing the interface. A memory RAM error indicator 908 shows no fault with the memory RAM. The text used to show this reads “OKAY.” Some of the other fault indicators also read “OKAY” to indicate that they are not showing a fault. The fifth screenshot 900 also shows an example of how the virtual monitoring station may provide troubleshooting prompts. A troubleshooting prompt 903 is presented and contains information about the fault detected. The troubleshooting prompt 903 explains what the fault is and describes a series of steps that may be followed to attempt to rectify the fault. In this case, as the only fault with the stairlift pertains to the final limit, the troubleshooting prompt 903 contains information about the final limit and how it may be troubleshooted. In Figure 10, a sixth screenshot 1000 shows an interface of the virtual monitoring station that may be used to get further information regarding an individual stairlift. The stairlift in question is the same stairlift which the fifth screenshot 900 and the fourth screenshot 800 relate to. The sixth screenshot 1000 shows the current fault status of the stairlift and a log of all past data transfers that have occurred. The log is presented as a table where each row corresponds to a single data transfer. The columns of the table show information associated with each data transfer. A date and time column 1005 shows the date and time of each data transfer that has been transmitted from the stairlift to the remote monitoring station. A status column 1003, similar to the status column 704 in the second screenshot 700a in Figure 7a, shows whether the stairlift had a fault at each data transfer. A trip count column 1001 shows how many trips the stairlift has made since the prior data transfer, i.e., how many times the stairlift has been used since the last data transfer between the stairlift and the remote monitoring station. A fault count column 1001 shows the cumulative number of faults detected with the stairlift since the fault count was last reset - this will be explained in more detail below. The virtual monitoring station thus depicts an overview of the history of the stairlift. This allows, for example, recurrent faults to be identified either automatically by an algorithm run by the virtual monitoring station or manually by an authorised user of the virtual monitoring station. The screenshot 1000 also shows the current fault status of the stairlift. There is a total fault count indicator 1006 that displays the total number of faults detected with the stairlift since the fault count was last reset. Adjacent to the total fault count indicator 1006 is an indication of what component in the stairlift is causing the fault. In this case the final limit fault counter 1007, which takes the form of a textbox that contains a numerical counter, indicates that 1 fault has been detected with the final limit since the fault counter was last reset. The other components which have fault counters but have not registered any faults since the fault counter was last reset are in greyed-out text boxes. The final limit fault counter 1007 is not greyed-out. This helps to aid a user in quickly identifying the parts of the stairlift that are indicating a fault. A fault count reset button 1008 is also adjacent to the total fault count indicator 1006. A user can use this button to reset the fault count to zero. This is useful in the case where faults have been resolved and it is desired to reset the counter to zero to indicate that the stairlift is currently without fault. In other examples, the fault count reset button 1008 may be used to reset the fault count to zero. Each data transfer in the table may also be investigated further and full details of all data transferred during said data transfer may be viewed by the user by clicking on a link associated with each row in the table. In Figure 11, a seventh screenshot 1100 shows an interface of the virtual monitoring station that may be used to get further information regarding an individual stairlift. The stairlift in question is the same stairlift which the fourth screenshot 800, the fifth screenshot 900, and the sixth screenshot 1000 relate to. The seventh screenshot 1100 shows an overview of a past data transfer associated with the stairlift as discussed above in reference to Figure 10. The interface depicted in the seventh screenshot 1100 may be accessed from the interface depicted in the sixth screenshot 1000 by clicking on a link associated with the first row in the log. In Figure 12, an eighth screenshot 1200 shows how the virtual monitoring station may be used to get further information regarding an individual stairlift. The stairlift in question is the same stairlift which the fourth screenshot 800, the fifth screenshot 900, the sixth screenshot 1000, and the seventh screenshot 1100 relate to. The eighth screenshot 1200 shows details of a past data transfer associated with the stairlift as discussed above in reference to Figure 10 and Figure 11. The eighth screenshot 1200 shows the status of all the sensors and fault counts for the past data transfer. The interface depicted in the eighth screenshot 1200 is associated with the same data transfer as the seventh screenshot 1100 (Figure 11) and may be accessed from the interface in the seventh screenshot 1100 (Figure 11) by scrolling down. From the eighth screenshot 1200, it can be seen that only the final limit fault indicator 1201 is currently displaying a fault and the remaining components are displaying as “OK.” It is also visible that there is only a single fault count and it is indicated by the final limit fault counter 1202. There is also information from various positional sensors available to view. Together, Figure 6, Figure 7a, Figure 7b, Figure 8, Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11 and Figure 12 show an example of how the virtual monitoring station may be used to monitor a plurality of stairlifts. The illustrations of the examples described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various examples. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilise the structures or methods described herein. Many other examples may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions within the illustrations may be exaggerated, while other proportions may be minimised. Accordingly, the disclosure and figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as a description of features specific to particular implementations. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate examples can also be implemented in combination in a single example. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single example can also be implemented in multiple examples separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excides from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a sub-combination. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various examples. Combinations of the above examples, and other examples not specifically described herein, should be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description. It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting and it is understood that the following claims including all equivalents are intended to define the scope of the invention. The claims should not be read as limited to the described order or elements unless stated to that effect. Therefore, all examples that come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the invention. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concepts disclosed herein. Except where mutually exclusive, any of the features may be employed separately or in combination with any other features and the disclosure extends to all combinations and sub-combinations of any one or more features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A connected lift module for use with a stairlift, the connected lift module being configured to receive, in use, information about the stairlift and to transmit information about the stairlift to a remote monitoring station.

2. A stairlift comprising a connected lift module configured to receive, in use, information about the stairlift and to transmit information about the stairlift to a remote monitoring station.

3. The connected lift module of claim 1 or the stairlift of claim 2, wherein the connected lift module is configured to receive, in use, information from a location remote from the stairlift4. The connected lift module of claim 1 or claim 3 or the stairlift of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives includes data from one or more sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more operational characteristics of the stairlift or a component thereof.

5. The connected lift module of claim 1, claim 3 or claim 4 or the stairlift of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives includes data recorded and / or generated by a diagnostic facility configured to monitor and / or identify faults in the operational performance of the stairlift or a component thereof.

6. The connected lift module of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 5 or the stairlift of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the information about the stairlift that the connected lift module receives includes data identifying the stairlift and / or one or more components or parts thereof.

7. The connected lift module of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 6 or the stairliftof any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the information that the connected lift module receives, in use, includes data that can be used to determine the status of one or more components in the stairlift and / or data that can be used to determine if there are anyobjects in a vicinity of the stairlift and / or data that can be used to determine an activity of the stairlift.

8. The connected lift module of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 7 or the stairliftof any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the information that the connected lift module receives includes data from one or more medical sensors configured to measure directly or indirectly one or more health characteristics of a user of the stairlift.

9. The connected lift module of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 8 or the stairliftof any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the information that the connected lift module receives includes data from one or more environmental sensors configured to measure directly one or more environmental properties at or near the stairlift.

10. The connected lift module of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 9 or the stairlift of any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the connected lift module is configured to process or interpret at least a portion of the information it receives and then to transmit the processed / interpreted data to the remote monitoring station.

11. The connected lift module of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 10 or the stairlift of any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the connected lift module is configured to transmit information about the stairlift every time the stairlift is used.

12. The connected lift module of claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 11 or the stairlift of any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein the connected lift module is configured to transmit information received from a remote location to the stairlift or a component thereof.

13. A system for monitoring a stairlift according to any one of claims 2 to 12, the system comprising:the stairlift according to any one of claims 2 to 12; anda remote monitoring station configured to receive information about the stairlift transmitted by the connected lift module.

14. A system for monitoring a plurality of stairlifts according to any one of claims 2 to 12, the system comprising:a plurality of stairlifts according to any one of claims 2 to 12; anda remote monitoring station configured to receive information about each one of the plurality of stairlifts transmitted by the connected lift modules.

15. The system of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the remote monitoring station is configured to output information in any human interpretable format.

16. The system of claim 13, claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the remote monitoring station is a physical monitoring station or a virtual monitoring station.

17. The system of any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the remote monitoring station is configured to detect, based on the information it receives, whether the or a given stairlift or a part thereof has a fault.

18. The system of any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the remote monitoring station is configured to determine the status of the or a given stairlift based on the information it receives.

19. The system of any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein the remote monitoring station is configured to determine an activity of the or a given stairlift based on the information it receives.

20. The system of any one of claims 13 to 19 including at least one data logger or memory configured to log or store information about the stairlift(s).

21. The system of any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein an authorised user is able to access and use the remote monitoring station.

22. The system of any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein the remote monitoring station is configured to transmit select information about the or a given stairlift to one or more nominated users.

23. A method of monitoring a stairlift, the method comprising:using one or more sensors comprised in a stairlift to obtain information about the stairlift;communicating information about the stairlift to a connected lift module according to claim 1 or any one of claims 3 to 12;communicating information about the stairlift to a remote monitoring station using the connected lift module; and5 using the remote monitoring station to monitor the stairlift.

24. A method of monitoring a plurality of stairlifts, the method comprising:using the method according of claim 23 with a plurality of stairlifts;wherein the connected lift module of each of the plurality of stairlifts10 communicates information about the stairlift to the same remote monitoring station using their associated connected lift module.

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