Elevator Remote Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance System based on Data Standardization Algorithm

Abstract

The present invention relates to an integrated control system for heterogeneous elevators designed to alleviate data access restrictions caused by elevator communication protocols that differ by manufacturer and operate in a closed manner. For the latest models with undisclosed or encrypted communication standards, or legacy elevators with limited digital data output, the present invention adopts a method of acquiring status information by passively observing electrical signals transmitted between an elevator control panel, a maintenance device, and a display device. The integrated gateway device analyzes the voltage level, signal timing, frame structure, and repetition pattern of electrical signals collected on a service port or a display device driving signal path, restores the operating status, fault status, or diagnostic status corresponding to the information output to the display device according to predefined mapping rules, normalizes this into a standard status code, and transmits it to a server. Through this, status information can be acquired using passive decoding technology based on display device driving signals even in environments where standard serial communication packet analysis is difficult, and by realizing model-independent data standardization, manufacturer-independent real-time control and predictive maintenance are possible in a heterogeneous elevator environment.

Description

Technology Field

[65535] The present invention relates to elevator remote monitoring technology, and more specifically, to a system that performs integrated control through standardized data collection and normalization of non-standard signals in a heterogeneous elevator environment where different communication protocols are used by each manufacturer. Background Technology In the modern high-rise building maintenance market, manufacturers often monopolize and operate elevator control panel communication protocols privately. Consequently, even if third-party maintenance companies or building management entities wish to implement IoT-based remote monitoring systems, they face limitations in data access, making real-time monitoring virtually impossible. Ultimately, external companies are restricted from verifying elevator status or the causes of malfunctions in advance, forcing them to operate on a reactive basis that relies on dispatching personnel to the site after a breakdown occurs. In particular, if personnel are dispatched to the site without prior knowledge of the malfunction, inefficient double dispatches—where they identify the cause during the first visit, prepare parts, and make a second visit—can become frequent. These structural limitations increase maintenance costs and prolong elevator repair times. Furthermore, for older elevators or the latest models with enhanced security, checking their status is often difficult without dedicated service tools. Consequently, relying solely on existing standard IoT methods makes it difficult for non-manufacturer companies to practically resolve data gaps and operational inefficiencies. The problem to be solved To address the aforementioned issues, the present invention aims to solve the following problems: 1. Effective elimination of manufacturers' technical monopolies and encryption barriers: It seeks to alleviate constraints where data access is difficult or restricted due to protocols that differ and operate in a closed manner across elevator manufacturers, and to technically compensate for data access limitations by restoring status information through third-party physical paths, such as signals output externally for display. 2. Universal data acquisition based on passive signal observation: It aims to provide a universal real-time control environment regardless of the model by restoring information based on waveforms of maintenance output signals or display device driving signals, even in environments with enhanced security, without requiring cooperation from manufacturer APIs. 3. Ensuring interoperability between heterogeneous systems: It aims to implement a standard status code system to immediately normalize collected non-standard data at the edge and provide a consistent control interface regardless of the manufacturer. means of solving the problem To achieve the above objective, the present invention is characterized by a configuration that extracts status information by passively observing and interpreting signals output externally for display, without directly decoding the internal control logic or encrypted internal communication of an elevator control system. In this specification, the expression "analyzing digital communication protocols by manufacturer" refers to the act of interpreting communication standards disclosed by the manufacturer or legally accessible, or data frame structures transmitted and received in an unencrypted state, and does not include the act of decrypting or bypassing the manufacturer's internal control logic, encrypted communication data, or protected security mechanisms. That is, the present invention relates to a technology for extracting status information by observing or interpreting signals normally output externally, such as standard serial communication, maintenance output data, or display output signals, rather than a method of hacking or decrypting encrypted internal control communication. The present invention includes an integrated gateway device that collects information by forming a data link with a service port of an elevator control panel, and a control server that remotely manages the same. In cases where data access is restricted due to the manufacturer's non-disclosure of protocols or encryption, the integrated gateway device scans parallel or serial electrical signal waveforms for driving maintenance devices or display devices and decodes them into data elements corresponding to status information. It may be configured to perform a second collection mode. Additionally, if a manufacturer's digital communication protocol is disclosed or legally accessible, a first collection mode may be further performed to collect information by analyzing the said digital communication protocol. The multi-interface unit (210) is configured to selectively perform at least one of the first collection mode and the second collection mode. In particular, the second collection mode includes a method of acquiring information by analyzing the combination pattern of physical output signals without directly decoding the manufacturer's communication algorithm.In addition, the data normalization process may have a hierarchical processing structure in which it is primarily performed within the integrated gateway device to reduce communication traffic load and ensure real-time performance, or additional correction and normalization are performed at a remote control server when complex calculations are required. Effects of the invention According to the present invention, the following effects can be expected through the integrated control and data normalization of heterogeneous elevators: 1. Alleviation of manufacturers' technical closedness and securing data accessibility. Elevator status information can be independently obtained through physical paths, such as display device driving signals, without being constrained by closed communication protocols that are encrypted or private for each manufacturer. 2. Maximization of maintenance efficiency and cost reduction. Real-time remote monitoring allows for the identification of the cause of failure and necessary parts in advance before dispatching personnel to the site, thereby reducing duplicate dispatches and resource waste. 3. Minimization of elevator downtime and improvement of safety. By implementing predictive maintenance through cumulative analysis of time-series data, sudden operational stoppages can be prevented by predicting parts replacement cycles and taking preemptive measures. 4. Acceleration of digital transformation (DX) of aging facilities. Data can be extracted through signal waveform analysis even from older elevators without digital communication ports, enabling the establishment of a low-cost integrated control system even in environments where new and old models coexist. 5. Ensuring real-time system operation and communication efficiency: Through edge computing-based normalization, server computational load and wireless communication traffic can be optimized, and real-time monitoring responsiveness can be enhanced. Brief explanation of the drawing Figure 1: Overall system configuration diagram according to the present invention Figure 2: Internal block diagram of the integrated gateway device (200) Figure 3: Flowchart of the data normalization and mapping process Figure 4: Conceptual diagram of the control UI and predictive maintenance using standard codes Specific details for implementing the invention Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. A heterogeneous elevator integrated control system (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an integrated gateway device (200) that collects information by forming a data link with a service port (120) of an elevator control panel (110), a remote control server (300) that analyzes and manages the collected data, and a terminal (400) that provides a user interface. 1. Multi-interface and Hybrid Connection Structure The integrated gateway device (200) is equipped with a multi-interface section (210) to widely support physical communication standards that differ by manufacturer. The multi-interface section (210) may be composed of multiple physical ports including a parallel interface and physical signal tapping paths, including multiple physical connector specifications such as DB9, 16-pin, and 20-pin, as well as standard serial communication (RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, CAN, etc.) for elevator connections where digital communication protocols are private or absent. Additionally, the present invention may support a wireless connection method in consideration of field situations where wiring is difficult or the internal space of the control panel is narrow. When a separate wireless adapter (130) that can be attached to the service port (120) is installed, the short-range communication module (215) inside the gateway receives data via a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, or Wi-Fi. In addition, the wireless adapter (130) may be installed on the terminal (400) for elevator maintenance as well as the service port (120) to collect information. At this time, the data collection logic (220) of the gateway automatically selects the active path among the multi-interface unit (210) or the short-range communication module (215) based on the wired cable connection detection signal or the wireless pairing signal to perform the collection and analysis of digital communication data. 2.Display signal restoration and decoding technology. The present invention applies display driving signal-based character decoding technology to extract information in an environment where direct data interpretation is difficult because the manufacturer has a monopoly on the communication protocol. (1) The digital communication data analysis and processing control unit (230) can collect and process digital communication data collected through the multi-interface unit (210). At this time, the control unit (230) does not merely receive the received digital communication data, but can convert it into real-time status information of the elevator by referring to a pre-stored protocol mapping table after undergoing a processing process that analyzes the data structure or converts it into a specific status value according to the characteristics of each manufacturer. (2) Parallel signal analysis (an embodiment of a parallel display controller) In an environment using a parallel display controller including a 1602 LCD or HD44780, the control unit (230) scans in real time the electrical signal characteristics applied to the controller's control signals (e.g., RS, E, R / W, etc.) and multiple data lines (e.g., 4-bit or 8-bit D0-D7, etc.). By comparing the combination patterns and timings of the collected signals with a pre-stored truth table, font library, or signal mapping logic, status information such as "Inspection in Progress" or "E3 Fault" can be decoded into text information, character codes, or corresponding internal status codes or status identifiers. This method does not directly decode the manufacturer's closed communication algorithm, but rather the physical signals output to the display device It corresponds to an independent signal analysis technique that extracts state information by observation, and through this, real-time data acquisition is possible even in older elevators without digital communication ports. 3. Automatic Model Identification and Force Mapping Process (Force Map) The control unit (230) can automatically identify the manufacturer and model by analyzing the header or pattern of the received signal. In addition, it may include a manual designation process (Manual Override Logic) to prepare for new models that cannot be automatically identified.When automatic identification fails, a verification request is sent to the terminal (400), and if the user directly selects the model from the user interface of the terminal (400), the corresponding mapping table is forcibly loaded into memory (Force Map) to initiate immediate collection. Manual setting values ​​entered from the terminal (400) can be set to have a higher priority than the automatic identification result. The collected new patterns can be updated in the server database to expand the universality of the system. 4. Implementation of Predictive Maintenance and Provision of Control User Interface The collected data can be first normalized (Edge Computing) within the gateway and transmitted to the server, and the server can analyze it as a time series to generate predictive maintenance data that predicts the remaining lifespan of each part. This allows the manager to identify the cause of the failure and necessary parts in advance before visiting the site, thereby preventing inefficient duplicate dispatches. Additionally, the terminal (400) provides a control user interface based on normalized standard status codes and / or decoding results, enabling the user to intuitively check elevator status and diagnostic information. The integrated gateway device (200) can selectively extract only the data where a status change (Event) has occurred by comparing it with the status value of a previous point in time from the collected data and transmit it to the remote control server (300). When a new elevator model is released or a data protocol change occurs for an existing model, the remote control server (300) can update the local mapping table (240) by wirelessly transmitting the updated mapping table to the integrated gateway device (200). The remote control server (300) may include a predictive maintenance engine (320) that calculates the number of times major parts operate by cumulatively analyzing normalized standard status codes in a time series and predicts the remaining lifespan by comparing this with a preset lifespan threshold for each part.When a failure code is received, the remote control server (300) can extract a list of repair parts and action manual information linked to the corresponding standard status code from the database and automatically transmit them to the terminal (400). Explanation of the symbols 100: Heterogeneous Elevator Integrated Control System 110: Elevator Control Panel 120: Service Port 130: Wireless Adapter 200: Integrated Gateway Device 210: Multi-Interface Unit 215: Local Area Communication Module 220: Data Collection Logic 230: Control Unit 240: Local Mapping Table 250: Wide Area Wireless Network 250a: Wireless Communication Module 300: Remote Control Server 310: Data Normalization Processing Unit 320: Predictive Maintenance Engine 400: Terminal

Claims

Claim 1 An integrated gateway device (200) that collects elevator status information by forming a data link with an elevator control panel (110), wherein the integrated gateway device (210) is configured to selectively perform at least one of: (a) a first collection mode that collects information by receiving and analyzing non-standard raw data received from a service port (120) or data frames transmitted and received by a digital communication protocol; and (b) a second collection mode that collects information by passively detecting an electrical signal from at least one point on a path through which an electrical signal transmitted to a maintenance device or a display device is transmitted, including an electrical signal for driving a display device; wherein the integrated gateway device (200) is configured to normalize the non-standard raw data obtained through the first collection mode or the second collection mode by converting it into a standard status code according to a predefined mapping rule, and wherein the normalization is performed at the integrated gateway device (200) or a remote control server (300). Claim 2 In claim 1, the integrated gateway device (200) is characterized by performing an edge computing function that primarily converts not only manufacturer-specific error codes but also real-time operating status information of the elevator into the standard status code, thereby optimizing data traffic transmitted to the remote control server. Claim 3 An integrated gateway device according to claim 1, wherein the first collection mode or the second collection mode acquires at least one of a voltage level change, a pattern, signal timing information, a data frame structure, or a signal repetition pattern from non-standard raw data or an electrical signal received through the multi-interface unit (210), and extracts text information output to a display device or a corresponding standard status code by comparing the acquired information with a preset mapping rule. Claim 4 In claim 1, the integrated gateway device (200) is characterized by automatically determining the model by analyzing the pattern of a data frame or electrical signal received through a service port (120) in identifying the manufacturer and model information of a connected elevator; if the automatic determination fails, it transmits a verification request to a terminal (400), forcibly loads a mapping table corresponding to the model information input from the terminal (400), and performs a manual designation process designed so that a manual setting value from the terminal (400) has a higher priority than the automatic determination result. Claim 5 The integrated gateway device (200) according to claim 1 is characterized by selectively extracting only the data in which a state change (Event) has occurred by comparing it with the state value of a previous point in time among the collected data and transmitting it to a remote control server. Claim 6 The integrated gateway device according to claim 1 is characterized in that the integrated gateway device (200) is further configured to perform a first collection mode of collecting information by analyzing non-standard raw data including data frames transmitted and received by the digital communication protocol when the manufacturer-specific digital communication protocol is disclosed or legally accessible. Claim 7 A heterogeneous elevator integrated control system comprising: an integrated gateway device (200) of claim 1; a remote control server (300) that receives a normalized standard status code from the integrated gateway device (200) and performs real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance; and a terminal (400) that receives and outputs information from the remote control server (300). Claim 8 A heterogeneous elevator integrated control system according to claim 7, wherein the remote control server (300) updates the local mapping table by wirelessly transmitting (OTA) the updated mapping table to the integrated gateway device (200) when a new model is released or the protocol is changed. Claim 9 A heterogeneous elevator integrated control system according to claim 7, wherein the remote control server (300) includes a predictive maintenance engine (320) that calculates the number of times a major component operates by cumulatively analyzing a normalized standard status code in a time series and predicts the remaining lifespan by comparing it with a preset lifespan threshold for each component. Claim 10 In claim 7, the heterogeneous elevator integrated control system is characterized in that, upon receiving a fault occurrence code, the remote control server (300) extracts a list of repair parts linked to the corresponding standard code and action manual information from a database and automatically transmits them to a terminal (400).

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