System for managing elevator control, predictive maintenance, and modernization overlay with edge computing entity

Abstract

An elevator installation includes an edge computing entity communicatively coupled to a modernized elevator component and communicatively coupled to an unmodernized elevator component through an overlay. The edge computing entity may receive a first signal indicating modernized elevator data from the modernized elevator component according to a first communication protocol, receive a second signal indicating unmodernized elevator data from the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay based on the overlay receiving the second signal from the unmodernized elevator component according to a second communication protocol and transmitting the second signal according to the first communication protocol, and transmit information associated with at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to a cloud computing system to enable the cloud computing system to perform a predictive maintenance operation to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with at least one service need condition.

Description

Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQASYSTEM FOR MANAGING ELEVATOR CONTROL, PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE, AND MODERNIZATION OVERLAY WITH EDGE COMPUTING ENTITYBACKGROUND

[0001] When an elevator installation of a building is being modernized, the elevator installation may be composed of both modernized and still unmodernized elevators at the same time. Use of the elevators should be as smooth as possible from the viewpoint of an elevator passenger also during this transition period.SUMMARY

[0002] Some example embodiments provide a new elevator installation including an edge computing entity configured to communicatively couple with elevator components of a modernized elevator and an unmodernized elevator of an elevator installation as well as with a remote cloud computing system through a remote communication link. Data communication between an unmodernized elevator component and the edge computing entity may be rendered possible by use of an overlay which is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component.

[0003] The edge computing entity (which may be implemented by one or more edge computing devices) may perform elevator control functions as well as to act as a modernization overlay between the modernized and still unmodernized elevator components. The edge computing entity may enable at least some, or all, elevator components of one or more elevators to utilize a same elevator database. Further, due to the remote communication link to the cloud computing system, the edge computing entity may transmit information to the cloud computing system to enable predictive maintenance operations with regard to the elevator installation (including at least one unmodernized elevator component) to be performed during modernization of the elevator installation (e.g., while the elevator installation still includes at least one unmodernized elevator component and / or at least one unmodernized elevator), to thereby mitigate or prevent one or more actual or potential service need conditions, including one or more potential faults in an unmodernized elevator and / or modernized elevator. Accordingly, modernized services, including for example predictive maintenance, cloud-based predictive maintenance, or the like, may be performed with regard to unmodernized elevators and / or unmodernized elevator components, in addition to performing such predictive maintenance with regard to modernizedAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA elevators and / or modernized elevator components, to improve performance and / or operational reliability of the elevator installation during modernization thereof.

[0004] The edge computing entity may enable control of elevator components of one or more elevators to be decentralized based on use of an elevator database that stores data based on signals received from one or more elevator components, and where the data may be retrieved and processed to generate output signals to control one or more elevator components. The edge computing entity may be implemented by multiple edge computing devices communicatively coupled to each other through a local communication link. Elevator components may be communicatively coupled to separate edge computing devices, and the separate edge computing devices may maintain separate local database copies of the elevator database. Local database copies may be updated based on database management signals transmitted between edge computing devices, to enable elevator components communicatively coupled to an edge computing device at one location to be controlled based on data from one or more other elevator components communicatively coupled to a different edge computing device at a different location, without requiring direct communication between the elevator components between the different locations and / or without requiring direct communication between elevator components at different locations to a centralized computing device. The edge computing entity may distribute the elevator controller, the elevator’s data storage, and other digital processes of one or more elevators in multiple computing devices located in different physical locations to consolidate all communication protocols into one common physical layer, which may reduce, minimize, or prevent use of a wide variety of communication protocols for communications between elevator components, control system, and the like, thereby reducing, minimizing, or preventing complex wiring requirements for the elevator’s control system associating with providing multiple physical layers to accommodate multiple different communication protocols. The elevator installation may incorporate overlays to interface location-specific hardware, to edge computing devices to decouple the hardware installed during modernization and the software services, and simplifying signal wiring requirements between physical locations. This abstraction of hardware and software allows for flexibility to re-utilize existing wiring or even control system infrastructure on modernizations of elevators in an elevator installation, thereby reducing costs, complexity, and thus time and effort associated with modernization of one or more elevators in an elevator installation.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0005] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present inventive concepts.

[0006] According to some example embodiments, an elevator installation, may include a modernized elevator, an unmodernized elevator, an overlay, and an edge computing entity. The modernized elevator may include a modernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a first communication protocol. The unmodernized elevator may include an unmodernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol. The overlay may be communicatively connected to the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol. The edge computing entity may be communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol. The edge computing entity may be communicatively coupled to the overlay according to the first communication protocol such that the edge computing entity is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay. The edge computing entity may be communicatively coupled to a cloud computing system through a remote communication link. The edge computing entity may be configured to receive a first signal from the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol, the first signal indicating modernized elevator data associated with the modernized elevator. The edge computing entity may be configured to receive a second signal from the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay, based on the overlay receiving the second signal from the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol and transmitting the second signal to the edge computing system according to the first communication protocol, the second signal indicating unmodernized elevator data associated with the unmodernized elevator. The edge computing entity may be configured to transmit information associated with at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link to enable the cloud computing system to perform a predictive maintenance operation to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with at least one service need condition.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0007] The edge computing entity may include a memory storing an elevator database. The edge computing entity may be configured to store the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry, respectively, of the elevator database. The edge computing entity may be configured to transmit the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link based on retrieving data from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.

[0008] The edge computing entity may include a memory storing an elevator database. The edge computing entity may be configured to store the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry, respectively, of the elevator database. The edge computing entity may be configured to cause an output signal to be transmitted to at least one elevator component of the modernized elevator component or the unmodernized elevator component, to control an operation of at least one elevator of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on retrieving data that is retrieved from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.

[0009] The edge computing entity may include a first edge computing device and a second edge computing device. The first and second edge computing devices may be communicatively coupled to each other through a local communication link. At least one of the first edge computing device or the second edge computing device may be communicatively coupled to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link. The first edge computing device may be communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol and independently of the second edge computing device. The second edge computing device may be communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay. The first edge computing device may store a first local database copy of the elevator database at a local memory of the first edge computing device and the second edge computing device may store a second local database copy of the elevator database at a local memory of the second edge computing device. The first and second edge computing devices may be configured to communicate one or more database management signals with each other through the local communication link to update data stored in one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy in response to at least one update to dataAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA stored in a different one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy. The edge computing entity may be configured to control an operation of at least one of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on at least one of the first edge computing device transmitting a first output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of the unmodernized elevator data from the first local database copy or the second edge computing device transmitting a second output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of the modernized elevator data from the second local database copy.

[0010] According to some example embodiments, a system may include the elevator installation and a cloud computing device at least partially implementing a cloud computing system. The cloud computing device may be communicatively coupled to the edge computing entity of the elevator installation through the remote communication link. The cloud computing device may be configured to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition in response to detecting a trend indicated by the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data.

[0011] The cloud computing device may be configured to determine that the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition in response to processing the information to determine a service value, the service value associated with at least a portion of the elevator installation, determining the trend as a trendline of the service value over time, and determining that the trendline indicates that the service value at least meets a threshold value within a particular future time period.

[0012] The cloud computing device may be configured to transmit a service signal associated with the service need condition to at least one of the edge computing entity of the elevator installation or a mobile service device supporting a maintenance operator, to cause the at least one of the edge computing entity or the maintenance operator to perform a service action associated with the elevator installation.

[0013] According to some example embodiments, a method may be provided for operating an elevator installation. The elevator installation may include a modernized elevator, an unmodernized elevator, an overlay, and an edge computing entity. The modernized elevator may include a modernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a first communication protocol. The unmodernized elevator may include an unmodernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a second communication protocol that is different from the firstAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA communication protocol. The overlay may be communicatively connected to the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol. The edge computing entity may be communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol. The edge computing entity may be communicatively coupled to the overlay according to the first communication protocol such that the edge computing entity is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay. The edge computing entity may be communicatively coupled to a cloud computing system through a remote communication link. The method may include transmitting a first signal from the modernized elevator component to the edge computing entity according to the first communication protocol, the first signal indicating modernized elevator data associated with the modernized elevator. The method may include transmitting a second signal from the unmodernized elevator component to the edge computing entity through the overlay, such that the overlay receives the second signal from the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol and transmits the second signal to the edge computing system according to the first communication protocol, the second signal indicating unmodernized elevator data associated with the unmodernized elevator. The method may include transmitting information associated with at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link to enable the cloud computing system to perform a predictive maintenance operation to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with at least one service need condition.

[0014] The edge computing entity may include a memory storing an elevator database.

[0015] The method may include storing the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry, respectively, of the elevator database. The method may include transmitting the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link based on retrieving data from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.

[0016] The method may include storing the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry,Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA respectively, of the elevator database. The method may include causing an output signal to be transmitted to at least one elevator component of the modernized elevator component or the unmodernized elevator component, to control an operation of at least one elevator of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on retrieving data that is retrieved from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.

[0017] The edge computing entity may include a first edge computing device and a second edge computing device. The first and second edge computing devices may be communicatively coupled to each other through a local communication link. At least one of the first edge computing device or the second edge computing device may be communicatively coupled to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link. The first edge computing device may be communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol and independently of the second edge computing device. The second edge computing device may be communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay. The method may include receiving the first signal at the first edge computing device from the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol and storing the modernized elevator data indicated by the first signal to a first local database copy of the elevator database, the first local database copy stored at a local memory of the first edge computing device. The method may include receiving the second signal at the second edge computing device from the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay and storing the unmodernized elevator data indicated by the second signal to a second local database copy of the elevator database, the second local database copy stored at a local memory of the second edge computing device. The method may include communicating one or more database management signals with each other through the local communication link to update data stored in one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy in response to at least one update to data stored in a different one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy. The method may include controlling an operation of at least one of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on at least one of the first edge computing device transmitting a first output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of the unmodernized elevator data from the first local database copy or the second edge computing device transmitting a second output signal based on retrievingAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA at least a portion of the modernized elevator data from the second local database copy.

[0018] The method may include performing the predictive maintenance operation at a cloud computing device at least partially implementing the cloud computing system to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition in response to detecting a trend indicated by the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data.

[0019] The determining that the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition may include processing the information to determine a service value, the service value associated with at least a portion of the elevator installation, determining the trend as a trendline of the service value over time, and determining that the trendline indicates that the service value at least meets a threshold value within a particular future time period.

[0020] The method may include transmitting a service signal associated with the service need condition to at least one of the edge computing entity of the elevator installation or a mobile service device supporting a maintenance operator, to cause the at least one of the edge computing entity or the maintenance operator to perform a service action associated with the elevator installation.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected example embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present inventive concepts.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system including an elevator installation and a cloud computing system, according to some example embodiments.

[0023] FIGS. 2A and 2B are flowcharts illustrating a method of operation of the system of FIG. 1 , according to some example embodiments.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a system including an elevator installation and a cloud computing system, according to some example embodiments.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operation of the system of FIG. 3, according to some example embodiments.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0026] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a distributed controller unit architecture implemented by an edge computing entity of an elevator installation, according to some example embodiments.

[0027] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams of a system including an edge computing entity having multiple edge computing devices communicatively coupled to separate elevator components and a data flow from an overlay to a cloud computing system through at least one edge computing device of the edge computing entity, according to some example embodiments.

[0028] FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of a system including an edge computing entity having multiple edge computing devices communicatively coupled to separate elevator components and a data flow from between separate edge computing devices of the edge computing entity, according to some example embodiments.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a computing device according to some example embodiments.

[0030] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.

[0032] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do notAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0033] When an element or layer is referred to as being "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0034] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system including an elevator installation and a cloud computing system, according to some example embodiments. FIGS. 2A and 2B are flowcharts illustrating a method of operation of the system of FIG. 1 , according to some example embodiments. It will be understood that the order of operations shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B may be changed, one or more operations shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B may be omitted from the method, and / or one or more operations may be added to the method shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1 , a system 1 may include an elevator installation 2 and a cloud computing system 4. The elevator installation 2 may be located within a building 3. The elevator installation 2 may include elevators 10, an edge computing entity 20,Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA and one or more overlays 30. The elevator installation 2 may be partially modernized and / or in the process of undergoing modernization, such that the elevators 10 include one or more modernized elevators 10A and one or more unmodernized elevators 10B. While the elevator installation 2 shown in FIG. 1 includes one modernized elevator 10A and one unmodernized elevator 10B, it will be understood that example embodiments are not limited thereto, and an elevator installation 2 may include any quantity of modernized elevators 10A and any quantity of unmodernized elevators 10B.

[0037] Each of the elevators 10 (e.g., each of the one or more modernized elevators 10A and one or more unmodernized elevators 10B) may be considered as a distributed mechatronic system having a plurality of mechanical and electrical elevator components 12 disposed in an elevator shaft 16 (also referred to in some example embodiments as a hoist way) and in a plurality of landing floors 18. Such elevator components 12 of an elevator may contribute to, control, and / or implement various elevator operations of the elevator, such as guiding elevator car movement in an elevator shaft, measuring elevator car position, lighting an elevator system, suspending an elevator car, driving an elevator car, controlling an elevator system, transferring data within an elevator installation (and optionally with an entity external to an elevator installation), interfacing with an elevator user (e.g., passenger), ensuring safety of an elevator installation and braking and / or arresting elevator car movement, among others. As shown in FIG. 1 , elevator components 12 in each given elevator 10 may comprise for example guiderails 14A, fixing brackets, an elevator car 14B configured to move through the elevator shaft 16 between multiple landing floors 18, a driver 14C mechanically coupled to the elevator car 14B and configured to operate to cause the elevator car 14B to move through the elevator shaft 16, an elevator car door 14D, landing floor doors 14E, user interfaces 14F (e.g., call panels) at the elevator car, user interfaces (e.g., call panels) 14G at one or more landing floors 18, one or more sensors 14H (which may be any known sensor), one or more safety brakes 141, one or more control devices 14J, a travelling cable 14K communicatively and / or electrically coupling the elevator car 14B to a fixed connection in the elevator 10 (e.g., a control device and / or power supply), and the like. It will be understood that any of the elevator components 12 may include one or more drive motors (e.g., any known electric motor) configured to operate the elevator component 12. It will be understood that a given elevator component 12 may include (e.g., may be comprised of) multipleAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA elevator components 12. Although not shown in FIG. 1 , elevator components 12 of each elevator 10 may further include encoders, bearings, lights, control nodes, data cables, cameras, position measurement targets for measuring elevator car position, safety switches and safety contacts, control cabinets, electrical power units, and various sensors, actuators and structural components. While the elevators 10 are shown in FIG. 1 to include separate elevator components 12, elevator shafts 16, landing floors 18, and the like, it will be understood that in some example embodiments one or more elevator components 12, elevator shafts 16, landing floors 18 may be shared between multiple elevators 10.

[0038] In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in at least FIG. 1 , one or more elevators 10 may be a traction elevator, where the driver 14C is a hoisting machine, referred to herein as a hoisting machine driver 14C, that is configured to cause the elevator car 14B to move through the elevator shaft 16 based on moving the hoisting rope 19 to move (e.g., lift, lower, etc.) an elevator car 14B that is coupled to the hoisting rope 19. The hoisting machine driver 14C may include a drive motor (e.g., an electric motor) and a traction sheave (also referred to herein as a driving wheel, a traction wheel, or the like) mechanically coupled to the drive motor. The hoisting machine driver 14C may be coupled to the elevator car 14B through a hoisting rope 19, also referred to herein as a traction member, a suspension rope, a traction rope, a hoisting cable, a suspension cable, or the like. The hoisting rope 19 may be coupled between the elevator car 14B and a counterweight (not shown) and the hoisting rope 19 may extend over the traction sheave of the hoisting machine driver 14C (e.g., extending through an outer peripheral edge and / or peripheral groove of the traction sheave) between the elevator car 14B and the counterweight. The hoisting machine driver 14C of the traction elevator may be configured to operate to cause the elevator car 14B to move through an elevator shaft 16 based on exerting a force on the elevator car 14B through the hoisting rope 19, for example based on the drive motor causing the traction sheave to rotate to cause the hoisting rope 19 that extends over the traction sheave (e.g., over a periphery of the traction sheave) to move based on said rotation of the traction sheave, thereby causing the elevator car 14B that is coupled to the hoisting rope 19 to move (e.g., be lifted, lowered, etc.) through the elevator shaft 16 based on the movement of the hoisting rope 19.

[0039] However, it will be understood that example embodiments of an elevator 10 in the elevator installation are not limited to traction elevators, and the driver 14C isAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA not limited to a hoisting machine coupled to the elevator car 14B through a hoisting rope 19. For example, in some example embodiments one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation 2 may be a hydraulic elevator 10 that may omit the hoisting rope 19, and the driver 14C may be a hydraulic driver 14C configured to cause an elevator car 14B to move through the elevator shaft 16 based on circulating (e.g., compressing) a hydraulic fluid to induce movement of a hydraulic structure (e.g., a piston). For example, the hydraulic driver 14C may include a hydraulic piston that is mechanically coupled to the elevator car 14B (e.g., to an underside thereof, although example embodiments are not limited thereto), and the hydraulic driver 14C may be configured to operate a hydraulic pump, piston, or any combination thereof to cause a hydraulic fluid to move into and / or out of the hydraulic piston (e.g., between a hydraulic fluid reservoir and the hydraulic piston through one or more conduits to cause the hydraulic piston to extend or contract through at least a portion of the elevator shaft 16 and thereby cause the elevator car 14B mechanically coupled thereto to move through at least a portion of the elevator shaft 16. It will be understood that an elevator installation 2 may include a plurality of elevators 10 that include different types of elevators 10. For example, an elevator installation 2 may include at least one traction elevator 10 and at least one hydraulic elevator 10. In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 may include at least one traction elevator 10 and may not include any hydraulic elevators. In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 may include at least one hydraulic elevator 10 and may not include any traction elevators. It will be understood that one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation 2 may be any type of elevator and may include one or more elevator components 12 configured to cause the elevator 10 to operate to move a structure (e.g., an elevator car 14B) through an elevator shaft 16. The driver 14C may include any mechanism configured to operate to cause a structure (e.g., the elevator car 14B) to move through the elevator shaft 16. For example, one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation 2 may be a traction elevator, a hydraulic elevator, a vacuum elevator, a pneumatic elevator, a machine room-less (MRL) elevator, a rack and pinion elevator, a screw elevator, a linear motor-driven elevator, any combination thereof, or the like.

[0040] Each elevator 10 may include an elevator component 12 that includes a control device 14J (also referred to herein as a controller, a control unit, or the like) that is communicatively coupled to, and configured to operate and / or control, one orAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA more other elevator components 12 of the elevator 10. Each elevator may include a control device 14J that includes a group control device (also referred to herein as a group controller) that is communicatively coupled to multiple other control devices 14J of one or multiple elevators and is configured to control and / or operate at least a portion of one or more elevators based on transmitting control signals to the multiple other control devices 14J. As described herein, a modernized elevator 10A may include a modernized elevator component 12A that may be a group controller (e.g., group control device 14J) or a control unit (e.g., control device 14J) of a renovated elevator, where the control unit may be a central control unit, a landing call station, an elevator car control unit, an electronic safety controller and / or a motion control unit. As described herein, an unmodernized elevator 10B may include an unmodernized elevator component 12B that may be a group controller or a control unit of the unmodernized elevator 10B.

[0041] In some example embodiments, at least some elevator components 12 in an elevator 10 may be included in the elevator car 14B of the elevator 10 and thus may move in relation to other elevator components 12 of the elevator 10 as the elevator car 14B moves through the elevator shaft 16. In some example embodiments, one or more elevator components 12 included in and / or comprising the elevator car 14B may be communicatively coupled to one or more elevator components 12 outside the elevator car 14B through a travelling cable 14K, however example embodiments are not limited thereto. In some example embodiments, one or more of the elevator components 12 may include, may be included in, and / or may be implemented by one or more computing devices, including for example one or more computing devices 800 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0042] The edge computing entity 20 may be configured to be communicatively coupled to at least one elevator component 12 in one or more elevators 10 in the elevator installation 2. The edge computing entity 20 may be configured to communicate signals between each of the communicatively coupled elevator components 12, including receiving and processing signals (e.g., data signals) from one or more elevator components 12 and transmitting output signals to one or more elevator components 12 to cause the one or more elevator components to control an operation of at least one elevator 10 (e.g., an elevator operation). In FIG. 1 , the edge computing entity 20 is communicatively coupled to at least one elevator component 12 in each of the modernized elevator 10A and the unmodernized elevator 10B, butAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WC-POA example embodiments are not limited thereto. In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to one or more elevator components 12 in a single elevator 10, which may be either a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B. The edge computing entity 20 may include, may be included in, and / or may be implemented by one or more computing devices, including for example one or more computing devices 800 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0043] The edge computing entity 20 may be configured to be communicatively coupled with one or more elevator components 12 according to a first communication protocol. The first communication protocol may include a particular communication protocol and / or data communication technology among any communication protocol or data communication technology to communicatively couple the edge computing entity 20 with one or more devices, components, or the like. The first communication protocol may include communication using a particular data communication technology of any known data communication technologies, including for example wired or wireless serial data bus connections. Ethernet bus connections, Controller Area Network (CAN) bus connections, Local Operating Network (LON) bus connections, wireless local area network (WLAN) connections, RS485 connections, or the like. As shown in FIG. 1 , modernized elevators 10A may include one or more modernized elevator components 12A that are configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive signals) according to the first communication protocol, and thus the edge computing entity 20 may be configured to be communicatively coupled to one or more modernized elevator components 12A of the modernized elevator 10A according to the first communication protocol, for example through a first communication protocol link 42 as shown.

[0044] Unmodernized elevators 10B may include unmodernized elevator components 12B which may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive signals) through one or more second communication protocols that are different from the first communication protocol. The second communication protocol may include communication using any known data communication technologies, including for example wired or wireless serial data bus connections. Ethernet bus connections, Controller Area Network (CAN) bus connections, Local Operating Network (LON) bus connections, wireless local area network (WLAN) connections, analog communication connections, or any combination thereof. In some example embodiments, the secondAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA communication protocol may include any known digital or analog communication protocol.

[0045] The edge computing entity 20 may be configured to communicate with devices according to the first communication protocol and may not be configured to communicate with devices according to the second communication protocol. As shown in FIG. 1 , an elevator installation 2 may comprise multiple elevators 10 in a same building 3, which are operated by a group control system (which may be implemented by the edge computing entity 20). When an old elevator installation 2 is being modernized, the elevator installation 2 may be composed of both modernized elevators 10A and still unmodernized elevators 10B at the same time. The edge computing entity 20 may be configured to enable operation of the elevators 10 to be as smooth and transparent as possible from the viewpoint of an elevator passenger also during this transition period (e.g., while unmodernized elevators 10B are being renovated or converted into modernized elevators 10A). As a result, the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B of the unmodernized elevator 10B through an overlay 30, which is also referred to herein interchangeably as a modernization overlay, a data acquisition module (DAQ), or any combination thereof. While FIG. 1 illustrates a single overlay 30 as being communicatively coupled between the edge computing entity 20 and the unmodernized elevator components 12B of the unmodernized elevator 10B, it will be understood that example embodiments are not limited thereto, and the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled with separate sets of one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B through separate, respective overlays 30 of a plurality of overlays 30.

[0046] An overlay 30 may be communicatively coupled to the edge computing entity 20 according to the first communication protocol. The overlay 30 may be communicatively connected to an unmodernized elevator component 12B of an unmodernized elevator 10B according to the second communication protocol, for example through a second communication protocol link 44 as shown. Accordingly, the edge computing entity 20 may be understood to be communicatively coupled to the overlay 30 according to the first communication protocol, for example through a first communication protocol link 42 as shown, such that the edge computing entity 20 is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component 12B through the overlay 30. The overlay 30 may be configured to convert received signals betweenAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA signals configured to be transmitted according to the first communication protocol and signals configured to be transmitted according to the second communication protocol, and to transmit the converted signals. The overlay 30 may thereby provide a control data interface between one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B and the edge computing entity 20.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 1 , an overlay 30 may include a first interface 32A (e.g., a digital connection port, an analog connection port, a downstream interface, or any combination thereof) that is configured to communicatively couple with one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B according to the second communication protocol, for example to establish a second communication protocol link 44 therewith. The overlay 30 may include a second interface 32B (e.g., a data transceiver, an upstream interface, or any combination thereof) that is configured to communicatively couple with the edge computing entity 20 according to the first communication protocol, for example to establish a first communication protocol link 42 therewith. The overlay 30 may include internal circuitry 34 that is configured to enable a signal received according to one of the first or second communication protocols at one of the first or second interfaces 32A or 32B to be transmitted from the other one of the first or second interfaces 32A or 32B according to the other one of the first or second communication protocols. To this end, the internal circuitry 34 may be configured to convert (also referred to herein interchangeably as “translate”) signals to enable the signals to be transmitted according to one of the first and second communication protocols. For example, the internal circuitry 34 may be configured to convert a signal received from an unmodernized elevator component 12B according to the second communication protocol to the first communication protocol, and the overlay 30 may then transmit the converted signal according to the first communication protocol to the edge computing entity 20 through the second interface 32B. The internal circuitry 34 may include processing circuitry configured to execute a program of instructions (e.g., a program of instructions stored in a memory) to convert received signals between the first and second communication protocols. The overlay 30 (e.g., the internal circuitry 34) may include, may be included in, and / or may be implemented by one or more computing devices, including for example one or more computing devices 800 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0048] As described herein, unmodernized elevators and modernized elevators may be distinguished by the communication protocols utilized by the elevator componentsAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA to communicate with one or more computing devices that control operation of one or more components of the elevators. As a result, while the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled with unmodernized elevator components 12B through an overlay 30 (e.g., due to the unmodernized elevator components 12B communicating through a different, second communication protocol than the first communication protocol according to which the edge computing entity 20 is configured to communicate with elevator components 12), modernized elevators 10A may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive signals) according to the same first communication protocol as the edge computing entity 20. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1 , the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to the one or more modernized elevator components 12A of the one or more modernized elevators 10A according to the first communication protocol, for example through one or more first communication protocol links 42. The edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled with one or more modernized elevator components 12A according to the first communication protocol and independently of any overlays 30, for example such that there are no overlays 30 interposing in the first communication protocol link 42 between the edge computing entity 20 and one or more modernized elevator components 12A. However, example embodiments are not limited thereto, and as shown in some example embodiments the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to a modernized elevator component 12A through a first communication protocol link 42 that includes an overlay 30, although the overlay 30 may transfer signals between the edge computing entity 20 and the modernized elevator component 12A without converting the signals to be transmitted according to a different communication protocol than the first communication protocol. In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may be directly communicatively coupled to one or more modernized elevator components 12A (e.g., through a first communication protocol that includes an ethernet cable or wireless network communication link). In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to one or more modernized elevator components 12A through a gateway, router, junction, or the like, provided that the same first communication protocol is utilized to transmit signals to and from the gateway, router, junction, or the like (e.g., through a wireless network connection, ethernet network connection, or the like). In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 includes a communication interface to communicatively couple with elevatorAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA components according to the first communication protocol wherein the communication interface includes a communication gateway, router, junction, or the like to facilitate such communicative coupling.

[0049] Still referring to FIG. 1 , the edge computing entity 20 is configured to be communicatively coupled to a remote entity, for example a cloud computing system 4, through a remote communication link 52. The remote communication link 52 may be any communication link for communicating with a remote device, system or service. The remote communication link 52 may include a wired or wireless network communication link, a cellular communication link, any combination thereof, or the like. The cloud computing system 4 may be implemented by one or more cloud computing devices 50 which may be located at one or more various remote locations. The one or more cloud computing devices 50 may be configured to collectively execute one or more cloud computing services or functions (collectively referred to as one or more predictive maintenance operations 54), including for example a predictive maintenance operation (also referred to herein interchangeably as cloud-based predictive maintenance) to determine whether the elevator installation 2 is associated with at least one service need condition, such that a service operation (e.g., a maintenance operation) is to be performed at the elevator installation to mitigate or prevent a potential fault, malfunction, operational degradation, or the like at one or more elevator components 12 in the elevator installation 2. The one or more cloud computing devices 50 may include, may be included in, and / or may be implemented by one or more computing devices, including for example one or more computing devices 800 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0050] As shown, the cloud computing system 4 may be communicatively coupled, through one or more communication links 56, to one or maintenance computing devices, referred to herein as one or more mobile service devices 70, supporting one or more maintenance technicians which are interchangeably referred to as maintenance operators 72. A mobile service device 70 may include one or more computing devices which may include one or more user interfaces through which a supported maintenance operator 72 may be provided with information and / or commands. Such one or more maintenance computing devices may include one or more computing devices configured to perform a function based on receiving a signal from the cloud computing system 4 through the communication link 56. The one or more mobile service devices 70 may include, may be included in, and / or may beAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA implemented by one or more computing devices, including for example one or more computing devices 800 as shown in FIG. 8.

[0051] Still referring to FIG. 1 , the edge computing entity 20 may include one or more communication interfaces 22 (e.g., one or more data transceivers, communication ports, or the like) which are configured to communicatively couple with one or more devices according to the first communication protocol, for example through one or more first communication protocol links 42. For example, the one or more communication interfaces 22 may include a wired or wireless network communication transceiver, an. Ethernet port, a CAN bus connection port, a LON bus connection port, a WLAN transceiver, an RS485 connection port, or any combination thereof. As shown, the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled with a device according to the first communication protocol through the communication interface(s) 22 through a first communication protocol link 42, which may be a communication link implemented according to the first communication protocol.

[0052] In some example embodiments, the one or more communication interfaces 22 may be communicatively coupled to one or more modernized elevator components 12A according to the first communication protocol (e.g., through one or more first communication protocol links 42). In some example embodiments, the one or more communication interfaces 22 (and thus the edge computing entity 20) may be communicatively coupled with one or more modernized elevator components 12A according to the first communication protocol and independently of any overlays 30 (e.g., such that the one or more first communication protocol links 42 with the one or more modernized elevator components 12A do not include or extend through any overlays 30), although example embodiments are not limited thereto. The one or more communication interfaces 22 may be communicatively coupled to the overlay 30 according to the first communication protocol (e.g., through one or more first communication protocol links 42), and the overlay 30 may be communicatively coupled to one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B according to a different, second communication protocol (e.g., through one or more second communication protocol links 44), such that the overlay 30 is communicatively coupled between the edge computing entity 20 and one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B. Accordingly, the one or more communication interfaces 22, and thus the edge computing entity 20, may be communicatively coupled to one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B through the overlay 30.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0053] In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may include a processor 24, a memory 26, and a remote communication interface 28. The remote communication interface 28 may be configured to be communicatively coupled with the cloud computing system 4 through the remote communication link 52 (e.g., a wired network communication link, a wireless network communication link such as a WI-FI connection, a cellular communication link, any combination thereof, or the like). The edge computing entity 20 may store data at the memory 26, for example in an elevator database 60 as described herein, and the processor 24 may execute one or more software applications (herein interchangeably described as one or more programs) 62 to 66 based on retrieving (e.g., reading) data from the memory 26 (e.g., reading data from one or more particular database entries of the database 60).

[0054] The edge computing entity 20 may transmit output signals indicating one or more output commands to one or more elevator components 12 through the one or more communication interfaces 22, to cause the one or more elevator components 12 to control an operation of one or more elevators 10 of the modernized elevator 10A or the unmodernized elevator 10B, based on the processor 24 implementing one or more programs. The edge computing entity 20 may transmit output signals indicating one or more output commands based on retrieving and processing data associated with at least one of an unmodernized elevator component 12B or a modernized elevator component 12A from the memory 26 (e.g., from the elevator database 60). Such an operation may include implementing at least one of an elevator control program 64 and / or an overlay program 62 to generate an output command based on retrieving and processing data from one or more database entries of the database 60 and to generate and transmit an output signal including the output command.

[0055] The edge computing entity 20 may transmit cloud communication signals, including information associated with at least one of unmodernized elevator data associated with an unmodernized elevator 10B or modernized elevator data associated with a modernized elevator 10A, to the cloud computing system 4 to enable the cloud computing system 4 to perform one or more operations associated with management and operation of the elevator installation 2 (e.g., to perform a predictive maintenance operation). The edge computing entity 20 may transmit a cloud communication signal, based on the processor 24 implementing one or more programs to retrieve and process at least one of the unmodernized elevator data orAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA the modernized elevator data from the memory 26 (e.g., from the elevator database 60).

[0056] As shown, the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to both modernized elevator components 12A and unmodernized elevator components 12B through respective first communication protocol links 42 according to a same first communication protocol. Overlays 30 may be used to interpose between the edge computing entity 20 and one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B, to enable conversion of signals communicated between the edge computing entity 20 and the one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B, for example to enable conversion between signals communicated according to the first communication protocol and signals communicated according to a separate, second communication protocol used by the unmodernized elevator components 12B. As a result, the edge computing entity 20 may be configured to, during modernization of an elevator installation 2, communicate with and control both modernized elevator components 12A and unmodernized elevator components 12B, and thus communicate with and control both modernized elevators 10A and unmodernized elevators 10B.

[0057] As modernization proceeds and an unmodernized elevator 10B is modernized (e.g., renovated) into a modernized elevator 10A, the one or more overlays 30 previously communicatively coupled between the edge computing entity 20 and the one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B of the (renovated) unmodernized elevator 10B may be removed. The modernized elevator components 12A of the newly modernized elevator 10A may be communicatively coupled to a communication interface 22 of the edge computing entity 20 according to the first communication protocol (e.g., through one or more first communication protocol links 42), for example independently of (e.g., without) any interposing overlays 30. However, example embodiments are not limited thereto, and in some example embodiments an overlay 30 may remain interposing between the edge computing entity 20 and a modernized elevator component 12A, without converting signals communicated across the overlay 30 (e.g., between the edge computing entity 20 and a modernized elevator component 12A) between different communication protocols.

[0058] Still referring to FIG. 1 and further referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, in some example embodiments, information associated with the modernized elevator 10A may be communicated to the edge computing entity 20 from one or more modernized elevator components 12A through one or more first communication protocol links 42,Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA and information associated with the unmodernized elevator 10B may be communicated to the edge computing entity 20 from one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B through one or more overlays 30 and thus through a combination of first and second communication protocol links 42 and 44. The edge computing entity 20 may transmit information associated with at least one of a modernized data associated with the modernized elevator 10A (which may include data indicated by a first signal received from a modernized elevator component 12A and / or data generated based on processing information included in such a first signal) or a unmodernized data associated with the unmodernized elevator 10B (which may include data indicated by a second signal received from an unmodernized elevator component 12B through an overlay 30 and / or data generated based on processing information included in such a second signal) to the cloud computing system 4 through the remote communication link 52 to enable the cloud computing system 4 to perform a predictive maintenance operation 54 to determine whether the elevator installation 2 is associated with at least one service need condition, such that one or more service actions may be commanded and / or implemented, by the elevator installation 2 and / or by a dispatched maintenance operator 72, to control and / or improve operations at the elevator installation 2 to mitigate or prevent one or more actual or potential faults indicated by the service need condition. As a result, the edge computing entity 20 may be configured to enable predictive maintenance operations to be performed with regard to an elevator installation 2 during modernization (e.g., while the elevator installation 2 includes both modernized and unmodernized elevator components 12A and 12B) and thereby enables predictive maintenance to be implemented at a cloud computing system 4 with regard to unmodernized elevator components 12B. The elevator installation 2 may thereby be configured to have improved operational performance, reduced likelihood of actual faults that may take an unmodernized elevator 10B and / or modernized elevator 10A partially or entirely out of service, and thus may improve operational reliability and / or performance of the elevator installation 2 during modernization thereof. For example, the edge computing entity 20 may enable modernized services including cloud-based predictive maintenance operations to be performed with regard to an unmodernized elevator 10B to thereby improve operational reliability and / or performance of the unmodernized elevator 10B during modernization of the elevator installation 2.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0059] In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may maintain an elevator database 60 stored at one or more memories 26 (e.g., storage devices, for example one or more solid-state drive (SSD) storage devices). The edge computing entity 20 may maintain an elevator database and may store (e.g., write) data associated with at least some of such information in the elevator database 60. The elevator database 60 includes one or more database entries 60-1 to 60-n (“n” being any real number), storing data associated with one or more elevator components of one or more elevators. In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may maintain the elevator database 60 to assign data associated with particular elevator components of particular elevators to corresponding particular database entries 60-1 to 60-n in the elevator database 60. Restated, the edge computing entity 20 may maintain an elevator database 60 that includes particular database entries 60- 1 to 60-n associated with certain elevator components, where data associated with said elevator components may be stored in said particular database entries 60-1 to 60-n. The edge computing entity 20 may be configured to retrieve data from one or more database entries 60-1 to 60-n to generate and / or transmit cloud communication signals to the cloud computing service 4 (e.g., to enable cloud-based predictive maintenance operations to be performed) and / or the generate and / or transmit output signals indicating one or more output commands to cause one or more elevator components 12 to control operation of one or more elevators 10, for example based on executing (referred to herein interchangeably as implementing) at least an elevator control program 64 and / or an overlay program 62.

[0060] Referring to FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2A and 2B, in some example embodiments, one or more elevator components 12 of an elevator 10 may transmit, to the edge computing entity 20, signals indicating data associated with the elevator 10 and / or any elevator components 12 thereof. The signals may include any data that may be generated and / or transmitted by any of the elevator components 12 of the elevator 10. For example, signals transmitted from an elevator component 12 to the edge computing entity 20 may include information including raw data generated by one or more elevator components 12 of the elevator 10, information indicating commands executed and / or transited by one or more elevator components 12 of the elevator 10, state information indicating an operational status (e.g., current power consumption and / or load, electrical current draw magnitude, operating speed, active or inactive state, fault states, etc.) of one or more elevator components 12 of the elevator 10,Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQAInternet of Things (loT) data associated with and / or generated by one or more elevator components 12 of the elevator 10, data generated by one or more sensors of one or more elevators, any combination thereof, or the like. For example, signals transmitted from an elevator component 12, including a first signal transmitted by a modernized elevator component 12A and / or a second signal transmitted by an unmodernized elevator component 12B, may include indicating that an elevator car 14B of an elevator 10 is serving a call to a particular landing floor 18, data indicating a current velocity and / or acceleration of the elevator car 14B, data indicating a scheduled velocity distribution of the elevator car 14B to serve a call, data indicating calls scheduled to be served by the elevator car 14B, data indicating a fault state of one or more elevator components 12 of the elevator 10, any combination thereof, or the like.

[0061] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B in view of FIG. 1 , at S202 a modernized elevator component 12A (which may be an elevator component 12 of a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B) may transmit a first signal to the edge computing entity 20 according to a first communication protocol (e.g., through a first communication protocol link 42), such that at S204 the edge computing entity 20 may receive the first signal from the modernized elevator component 12A according to the first communication protocol. The first signal may indicate modernized elevator data associated with the elevator 10 in which the modernized elevator component 12A is included, for example the modernized elevator 10A as shown in FIG. 1 , although example embodiments are not limited thereto. Such modernized elevator data may include data associated with and / or generated by the modernized elevator component 12A and / or data associated with and / or generated by a separate elevator component 12 of the elevator 10 that includes the modernized elevator component 12A (which may be a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B).

[0062] At S206, the edge computing entity 20 may process the first signal received at S204 to obtain modernized elevator data associated with the elevator 10 that includes the modernized elevator component 12A (e.g., associated with the modernized elevator 10A, although example embodiments are not limited thereto). For example, the edge computing entity 20 may execute an overlay program 62 to process the received first signal to obtain (e.g., identify, isolate, and / or generate) the modernized elevator data. The edge computing entity 20 may process the first signal to identify data included in the first signal as the modernized elevator data. The edge computing entity 20 may process the first signal to generate the modernized elevatorAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA data based on processing information included in the first signal. In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may generate one or more output commands, and transmit one or more output signals indicating said one or more output commands to one or more elevator components 12 of one or more elevators 10, based on processing the first signal.

[0063] At S208, the edge computing entity 20 may store one or more portions of the modernized elevator data (or all of the modernized elevator data) in an elevator database 60. The modernized elevator data may include data associated with multiple elevator components 12, including elevator components separate from the modernized elevator component 12A that transmits the first signal. The edge computing entity 20 may store the modernized elevator data at one or more first database entries of the elevator database 60. For example, the database 60 may include one or more first database entries 60-1 associated with the modernized elevator component 12A or any other elevator component 12 of any of the elevators 10. The edge computing entity 20 may identify one or more portions of the modernized elevator data as corresponding to one or more particular first database entries 60-1 and may store the modernized elevator data in the corresponding one or more particular first database entries 60-1 of the database. For example, in example embodiments where the edge computing entity 20 determines that the modernized elevator data includes data that indicates power consumption by a driver 14C of the modernized elevator 10A and data that indicates a concurrent velocity of the elevator car 14B of the modernized elevator 10A, the edge computing entity 20 may store such data in corresponding first database entries 60-1 associated with modernized elevator car 14B velocity and driver 14C power consumption.

[0064] At S210, an unmodernized elevator component 12B (which may be an elevator component 12 of a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B, and in some example embodiments may be in the same elevator as the modernized elevator component 12A shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B) may transmit a second signal to the edge computing entity 20 through an overlay 30. For example, at S210 the unmodernized elevator component 12B may transmit the second signal to the overlay 30 according to the second communication protocol (e.g., through a second communication protocol link 44). At S212, the overlay 30 (e.g., internal circuitry 34 thereof) may receive the second signal according to the second communication protocol, convert the second signal to be transmitted according to the firstAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA communication protocol, and transmit the second signal to the edge computing entity 20 according to the first communication protocol (e.g., through a first communication protocol link 42). At S214, the edge computing entity 20 may receive the second signal according to the first communication protocol and thus may receive the second signal from the unmodernized elevator component 12B through the overlay 30. The second signal may indicate unmodernized elevator data associated with the elevator 10 in which the unmodernized elevator component 12B is included, for example the unmodernized elevator 10B as shown in FIG. 1 , although example embodiments are not limited thereto. Such unmodernized elevator data may include data associated with and / or generated by the unmodernized elevator component 12B and / or data associated with and / or generated by a separate elevator component 12 of the elevator 10 that includes the unmodernized elevator component 12B (which may be a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B).

[0065] At S216, the edge computing entity 20 may process the second signal received at S214 to obtain unmodernized elevator data associated with the elevator 10 that includes the unmodernized elevator component 12B (e.g., associated with the modernized elevator 10A, although example embodiments are not limited thereto). For example, the edge computing entity 20 may execute the overlay program 62 to process the received second signal to obtain (e.g., identify, isolate, and / or generate) the unmodernized elevator data. The edge computing entity 20 may process the second signal to identify data included in the second signal as the unmodernized elevator data. The edge computing entity 20 may process the second signal to generate the unmodernized elevator data based on processing information included in the second signal. In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may generate one or more output commands, and transmit one or more output signals indicating said one or more output commands to one or more elevator components 12 of one or more elevators 10, based on processing the second signal.

[0066] At S218, the edge computing entity 20 may store one or more portions of the unmodernized elevator data (or all of the unmodernized elevator data) in the elevator database 60. The unmodernized elevator data may include data associated with multiple elevator components 12, including elevator components separate from the unmodernized elevator component 12B that transmits the second signal. The edge computing entity 20 may store the unmodernized elevator data at one or more second database entries of the elevator database 60. For example, the database 60 mayAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA include one or more second database entries 60-2 associated with the unmodernized elevator component 12B or any other elevator component 12 of any of the elevators 10. The edge computing entity 20 may identify one or more portions of the unmodernized elevator data as corresponding to one or more particular second database entries 60-2 and may store the unmodernized elevator data in the corresponding one or more particular second database entries 60-2 of the elevator database 60. For example, in example embodiments where the edge computing entity 20 determines that the unmodernized elevator data includes data indicating power consumption by a driver 14C of the unmodernized elevator 10B and data indicating a concurrent velocity of the elevator car 14B of the unmodernized elevator 10B, the edge computing entity 20 may store such data in corresponding second database entries 60-2 associated with unmodernized elevator car 14B velocity and driver 14C power consumption.

[0067] At S220, the edge computing entity 20 may transmit, to the cloud computing system 4 through the remote communication link 52, a cloud communication signal that indicates and / or includes information associated with at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data, to enable the cloud computing system 4 to perform a predictive maintenance operation to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with at least one service need condition. The cloud communication signal may include information that includes at least a portion of the modernized elevator data obtained at S206 and / or at least a portion of the unmodernized elevator data obtained at S216. The edge computing entity 20 may obtain the information based on retrieving (e.g., reading) data from one or more particular (e.g., predetermined) first and / or second database entries that are determined to be associated with one or more properties and / or elevator components of the modernized and / or unmodernized elevators 10A and / or 10B which may indicate a current condition of the modernized elevator 10A and / or the unmodernized elevator 10B and may indicate whether a service need condition exists at the elevator installation 2. The edge computing entity 20 may selectively retrieve (e.g., read) data from particular database entries 60-1 to 60-n (e.g., from a limited selection of database entries of the database 60). The edge computing entity 20 may obtain and transmit the information in the cloud communication signal based on reading data, including one or more particular first and / or second database entries at which modernized elevator data and / or unmodernized elevator data is stored at S208 and / or S218. InAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may selectively read unmodernized elevator data or modernized elevator data from the database 60 to generate the information included in the cloud communication signal, to enable the cloud computing system 4 to perform a predictive maintenance operation with regard to a particular one of a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B. In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may implement a digital services and / or cloud services program 66 to generate the information that is included in the cloud communication signal and / or to cause the cloud communication signal to be transmitted to the cloud computing system 4 through the remote communication link 52.

[0068] The edge computing entity 20 may generate the information included in the cloud communication signal based on processing at least one of modernized elevator data or unmodernized elevator data. For example, the edge computing entity 20 may implement cloud service program 66 to read elevator data that includes at least one of modernized elevator data or unmodernized elevator data from the database 60 and process said elevator data to generate statistical data indicating a statistical distribution of historical values indicated by such elevator data over a period of time, and the edge computing entity 20 may transmit the cloud communication signal including the statistical data to the cloud computing system 4.

[0069] At S222, the cloud computing service 4 (e.g., one or more cloud computing devices 50 implementing the cloud computing service 4) may receive the cloud communication signal. At S224, the cloud computing system 4 may process the information indicated by and / or included in the cloud communication signal perform a predictive maintenance operation (e.g., cloud-based predictive maintenance) that includes processing the information to determine whether the elevator installation 2 is associated with a service need condition (e.g., to determine whether a service need condition exists at the elevator installation 2 or is projected to exist at the elevator installation 2 within a particular future time period).

[0070] The processing at S224 may include processing the information (e.g., modernized elevator data, unmodernized elevator data, statistical information associated with at least one thereof, etc.) to generate trend information, also referred to herein as detecting a trend, indicated by the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data, where the trend may indicate variation of a service value associated with the unmodernizedAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA elevator and / or the modernized elevator over time. The processing at S224 may include determining a current service value associated with a property and / or elevator component of the unmodernized elevator and / or the modernized elevator based on processing the data included in the information signal, and further accessing historical (previously determined, based on previously received information) service values associated with the same property and / or elevator component and applying the current and historical service values to generate trend information indicating a trend (e.g., trendline, trend curve, etc.) of the service value over time. For example, the processing at S224 may include determining the service value as a current power consumption per unit of elevator car velocity by a driver 14C of a modernized elevator 10A and / or an unmodernized elevator 10B over time. The processing at S224 may include extrapolating the trend to future times to indicate a projected trend of the service value over time in a future time range. In some example embodiments, the processing at S224 includes determining whether the elevator installation 2 (e.g., at least one of a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B thereof) is associated with the at least one service need condition in response to processing the information included in the cloud communication signal to determine a service value, the service value associated with at least a portion of the elevator installation (e.g., indicating power consumption by the driver 14C as a unit of elevator car 14B velocity, indicating acceleration and / or deceleration rate of the elevator car 14B, etc.), determining the trend as a trendline of the service value over time, and determining whether the trendline indicates that the service value at least meets a threshold value within a particular future time period. The particular future time period and the threshold value may be stored values corresponding to one or more particular services values that may be stored at, and retrieved from, a memory (e.g., storage device) by a cloud computing device 50 implementing the predictive maintenance operation 54 and applied to the detected trend of the corresponding one or more service values to determine whether the trend at least meets the threshold value within the particular future time period. The determination that the elevator installation 2 is associated with the service need condition may include determining that a fault and / or malfunction of one or more particular elevator components 12, degradation of performance of one or more particular elevator components 12, or any combination thereof is predicted to occur with at least a threshold level of confidence (e.g., at least a 50% probability) within the particular future time period (e.g., 3 months).Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0071] In response to a determination that the elevator installation 2 (e.g., at least one of a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B thereof) is associated with the at least one service need condition (e.g., in response to a determination that the trendline indicates that the service value at least meets a threshold value within a particular future time period), the cloud computing system 4 may determine that the elevator installation 2 is associated with a service need condition. In response to a determination that the elevator installation 2 (e.g., at least one of a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B thereof) is not associated with one or more (or any) service need conditions (e.g., in response to a determination that the trendline indicates that the service value does not meet a threshold value within a particular future time period), one or more of operations S226 to S242 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B may be omitted.

[0072] At S226 and S228, in response to a determination at S224 that the elevator installation is associated with a service need condition, the cloud computing system 4 may transmit a first service signal associated with the service need condition to a mobile service device 70 supporting a maintenance operator (S226) and / or may transmit a second service signal associated with the service need condition to the edge computing entity 20, and thus may transmit a service signal associated with the service need condition to at least one of the edge computing entity 20 or the mobile service device 70, to cause the at least one of the edge computing entity 20 or the maintenance operator 72 to perform a service action associated with the elevator installation to mitigate or prevent predicted occurrence of the predicted fault, malfunction, degradation of performance, or any combination thereof at one or more elevator components 12 and / or elevators 10 of the elevator installation 2 as indicated by the service need condition. At least one of the first service signal or the second service signal transmissions at S226 and / or S228 may be omitted in some example embodiments.

[0073] The first service signal transmitted at S226 may include information indicating an order to perform or schedule a particular service action (e.g., service operation) at the elevator installation 2 within a certain period of time to mitigate or prevent predicted occurrence of the predicted fault, malfunction, degradation of performance, or any combination thereof at one or more elevator components and / or elevators of the elevator installation 2 as indicated by the service need condition. The first service signal may indicate the particular service operation to be performed and / orAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA a particular fault, malfunction, degradation of performance, or any combination thereof that is predicted to occur. At S228, the mobile service device 70 may receive and process the first service signal to generate an indication (e.g., an image displayed through a display screen of the mobile service device 70 and / or an audio signal transmitted through a speaker) to inform the maintenance operator 72 of the order. In response, the maintenance operator may perform the particular service action as indicated by the first service signal at S232 to service, maintain, repair, and / or replace one or more elevator components 12 at the unmodernized elevator 10B and / or the modernized elevator 10A of the elevator installation 2 as indicated by the service need condition to prevent an occurrence of the predicted maintenance issue at the elevator installation. As a result, the operational reliability and / or performance of the elevator installation 2, including at least one of an unmodernized elevator 10B or a modernized elevator 10A, may be improved through cloud-based predictive maintenance despite the elevator installation 2 including both unmodernized elevators 10B and modernized elevators 10A.

[0074] At S232, a second service signal may be transmitted to the edge computing entity 20 based on a determination at S224 that the elevator installation 2 is associated with a service need condition. The second service signal may include information indicating a command to perform or schedule a particular service action (e.g., service operation) at the elevator installation 2 within a certain period of time to mitigate or prevent predicted occurrence of the predicted fault, malfunction, degradation of performance, or any combination thereof at one or more elevator components and / or elevators of the elevator installation 2 as indicated by the service need condition. Such a particular service action may include controlling operation of one or more elevator components 12 of one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation 2. For example, the second service signal at S232 may include a command instructing the edge computing entity 20 to limit operating speed of the driver 14C of the unmodernized elevator 10B and / or to limit the maximum speed and / or acceleration of the elevator car 14B of the unmodernized elevator 10B to limit the progression of damage to the driver 14C (and / or a hoisting rope 19 in example embodiments where the elevator 10 is a traction elevator and the driver 14C is a hoisting machine coupled to the elevator car 14B through the hoisting rope 19) incurred by repeated high velocity and / or acceleration of the elevator car through the elevator shaft 16 of the unmodernized elevator 10B. In another example, the signal at S232 may include a commandAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA instructing the edge computing entity 20 to inhibit elevator car 14B travel in one or more elevators 10 to one or more certain landing floors 18, to move the elevator car 14B of one or more elevators 10 to a particular landing floor and to inhibit call servicing by the one or more elevators, to generate and provide (e.g., display) a service notification through one or more user interfaces 14F and / or 14G of one or more elevators 10, etc.

[0075] At S234, the edge computing entity 20 receives the second service signal. At S235, the edge computing entity 20 may generate an output command (e.g., based on implementing at least one of programs 66, 64, and / or 62 to process the second service signal to isolate and / or generate the output command). The edge computing entity 20 may generate and transmit an output signal (e.g., based on implementing at least one of programs 64 and / or 62) including the output command according to the first communication protocol to the unmodernized elevator component 12B through the overlay 30, such that the overlay 30 may convert the output signal to be transmitted to the unmodernized elevator component 12B according to the second communication protocol at S236.

[0076] At S238, the unmodernized elevator component 12B may receive and process the output signal to execute the output command to control operation of one or more elevator components of one or more elevators (e.g., the unmodernized elevator 10B). For example, at S238 the unmodernized elevator component 12B may execute the output command to control an operation of one or more elevator components 12 of the unmodernized elevator 10B to limit operating speed of the driver 14C of the unmodernized elevator 10B, limit the maximum speed and / or acceleration of the elevator car 14B of the unmodernized elevator 10B, to inhibit elevator car 14B travel in the unmodernized elevator 10B to one or more certain landing floors 18, to move the elevator car 14B of the unmodernized elevator 10B to a particular landing floor 18 and to inhibit call servicing by the unmodernized elevator 10B, to generate and provide (e.g., display) a service notification through one or more user interfaces 14F and / or 14G of the unmodernized elevator 10B, etc.

[0077] At S240, the edge computing entity 20 may generate an output command (e.g., based on implementing at least one of programs 66, 64, and / or 62 to process the second service signal to isolate and / or generate the output command). The edge computing entity 20 may generate and transmit an output signal (e.g., based on implementing at least one of programs 64 and / or 62) including the output commandAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA according to the first communication protocol to the modernized elevator component 12A. At S242, the modernized elevator component 12A may receive and process the output signal to execute the output command to control operation of one or more elevator components of one or more elevators (e.g., the modernized elevator 10A). For example, at S242 the modernized elevator component 12A may execute the output command to control an operation of one or more elevator components 12 of the modernized elevator 10A to limit operating speed of the driver 14C of the modernized elevator 10A, limit the maximum speed and / or acceleration of the elevator car 14B of the modernized elevator 10A, to inhibit elevator car 14B travel in the modernized elevator 10A to one or more certain landing floors 18, to move the elevator car 14B of the modernized elevator 10A to a particular landing floor 18 and to inhibit call servicing by the modernized elevator 10A, to generate and provide (e.g., display) a service notification through one or more user interfaces 14F and / or 14G of the modernized elevator 10A, etc.

[0078] It will be understood that, in some example embodiments, at least one of operations S235 to S238 or S240 to S242 may be omitted. It will be understood that the modernized and unmodernized elevator components 12A and 12B as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B may be included in a same elevator 10, for example an unmodernized elevator 10B that is undergoing modernization and thus includes at least one modernized elevator component 12A and at least one unmodernized elevator component 12B.

[0079] In some example embodiments, the elevator installation 2 including the edge computing entity 20 as shown may be configured to enable predictive maintenance (e.g., cloud-based predictive maintenance) to be performed with regard to an unmodernized elevator 10B with reduced, minimized, or avoided installation of tailored cabling and diagnostics devices directly between the unmodernized elevator 10B and the edge computing entity 20 to obtain feedback of various operational anomalies, thereby avoiding time, effort, and costs associated with installation of such new cabling and diagnostics devices from the edge computing entity 20 directly to the unmodernized elevator 10B and avoids excess complexity of the elevator installation 2 thereby reducing capital expenditures and reducing the likelihood of faults associated with complexity. As a result, the elevator installation 2 including the edge computing entity 2 may have improved reliability, performance, and / or improved (e.g., reduced) capital and / or operational costs based on enabling predictive maintenanceAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA of at least the unmodernized elevator 10B without installation of tailored cabling and diagnostics devices directly between the unmodernized elevator 10B and the edge computing entity 20.

[0080] For example, the elevator installation 2 may be maintained on a regular basis to avoid malfunctions and reduce elevator downtime. Such malfunction may be caused by wear and tear (also referred to herein interchangeably as degradation) of elevator components, installation errors or defective components for example. Maintaining elevators can be laborious, requiring numerous site visits within large geographical areas by maintenance operators 72, where a significant portion of time associated with such site visits may include maintenance operator 72 travel to the elevator installation 2 site and performing routine checks. Further, identifying and locating a component failure and accessing a failed component in an elevator site may be problematic and / or time consuming.

[0081] In some example embodiments, the elevator installation 2 may reduce, minimize, or prevent costs associated with elevator maintenance based on enabling predictive maintenance of the modernized elevator 10A and unmodernized elevator 10B during a modernization process without installation of tailored cabling and diagnostics devices directly between the unmodernized elevator 10B and the edge computing entity 20, thereby mitigating, reducing, and / or minimizing time, effort and costs associated with maintenance of the elevator installation during modernization thereof when there is at least one unmodernized elevator 10B included therein.

[0082] As described herein, an unmodernized elevator 10B may be characterized by including at least one unmodernized elevator component 12B, such that the unmodernized elevator 10B may include a combination of one or more modernized elevator components 12A and one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B. In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 may include one or more unmodernized elevators 10B and may not include any modernized elevators 10A (e.g., at the beginning of modernization of the elevator installation 2). In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may be understood to be included in one or more portions of one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation. As described herein, in some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may be implemented by multiple computing devices which may be located at different locations in the elevator installation 2.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0083] In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 may, based on including the elevator database edge computing entity is operational to perform elevator control functions (e.g., elevator control program 64) as well as to act as a modernization overlay between the modernized and still unmodernized elevator components, based on including and being configured to store, retrieve, and process data associated with multiple elevators 10 and / or elevator components 12 from an elevator database 60. Further, based on the edge computing entity 20 being communicatively coupled to the cloud computing system 4 through the remote communication link 52, the edge computing entity 20 may transmit data to the cloud computing system 4 for diagnostics and maintenance purposes, which may enable predictive maintenance of the elevator installation 2 to be carried out in the cloud system 4 (such predictive maintenance referred to herein interchangeably as performing a predictive maintenance operation 54, performing cloud-based predictive maintenance, or the like) also during modernization of the elevator installation 2.

[0084] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a system including an elevator installation and a cloud computing system, according to some example embodiments. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operation of the system of FIG. 3, according to some example embodiments. It will be understood that the order of operations shown in FIG. 4 may be changed, one or more operations shown in FIG. 4 may be omitted from the method, and / or one or more operations may be added to the method shown in FIG. 4.

[0085] In some example embodiments, the edge computing entity 20 includes a plurality of edge computing devices that collectively implement the functionality of the edge computing entity 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the edge computing entity 20 may include, and may be implemented by, a plurality of edge computing devices including at least a first edge computing device 20A and a second edge computing device 20B. Each edge computing device of the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B may include one or more communication interfaces 22 configured to be communicatively coupled with one or more elevator components 12 (through one or more overlays 30 or independently of any overlays 30), a processor 24, and a memory 26. At least one of the first or second edge computing devices 20A or 20B may include a remote communication interface 28 configured to be communicatively coupled to a cloud computing system 4 through a remote communication link 52. In the example embodiments shown in FIG. 3, the first edgeAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA computing device 20A includes the remote communication interface while the second edge computing device 20B does not, but example embodiments are not limited thereto, and in some example embodiments both the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B may include a respective remote communication interface 28 configured to establish a separate, respective remote communication link 52 with the cloud computing system 4.

[0086] In some example embodiments, each of the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B may include a local communication interface 23 that is configured to be communicatively coupled with local communication interface(s) of other edge computing devices through a local communication link 46. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B may be communicatively coupled to each other through a local communication link 46, which may be separate from the first communication protocol links 42 through which the edge computing devices may be communicatively coupled to one or more elevator components and / or overlays 30 according to the first communication protocol. The local communication interfaces 23 may be configured to enable communication over the local communication link 46 according to a particular communication protocol, which may include a particular data communication technology of any known data communication technologies, including for example wired or wireless serial data bus connections. Ethernet bus connections, Controller Area Network (CAN) bus connections, Local Operating Network (LON) bus connections, wireless local area network (WLAN) connections, RS485 connections, or the like. In some example embodiments, the local communication link 46 may be configured to support communication between the edge computing devices according to the first communication protocol, but example embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0087] In some example embodiments, the separate edge computing devices of the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to separate sets of one or more elevator components 12 (through one or more overlays 30 or independently of any overlays 30), the edge computing devices may be located at different locations of an elevator 10 and / or an elevator installation 2 and may be communicatively coupled to elevator components 12 that are physically proximate to the respective edge computing devices at the respective locations. For example, in FIG. 3, the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B are located at different first and second locations 300A and 300B, respectively. The first edge computing device 20AAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA may be communicatively coupled to one or more first elevator components 12-1 located physically at or proximate to the first location 300A (e.g., within 0-10 meters of the first edge computing device 20A), and the second edge computing device 20A may be communicatively coupled to one or more second elevator components 12-2 located physically at or proximate to the second location 300B (e.g., within 0-10 meters of the second edge computing device 20B). For example, in some example embodiments the first location 300A is a fixed location proximate to an end of an elevator shaft 16 of an elevator 10, for example proximate to a driver 14C, while the second location 300B may be a location within an elevator car 14B of the elevator, such that the second location 300B may move in relation to the first location 300A. The first edge computing device 20A may be communicatively coupled to first elevator components 12-1 located at or proximate to the driver and / or one or more fixed locations in and around the elevator shaft 16. The second edge computing device 20B may be communicatively coupled to second elevator components 12-2 located in, at, or on the elevator car 14B, while the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B may be communicatively coupled to each other through the local communication link 46 (e.g., a wireless network communication link, such as a WI-FI connection). In some example embodiments, the first and second elevator components 12-1 and 12-2 are included at different locations 300A and 300B in a same elevator 10, which may be a modernized elevator 10A or an unmodernized elevator 10B. In some example embodiments, the first and second elevator components 12-1 and 12-2 are included in separate elevators 10 at separate locations 300A and 300B in the elevator installation 2. For example, the first elevator components 12-1 may be included in a modernized elevator 10A at a first location 300A and the second elevator components 12-2 may be included in an unmodernized elevator 10B at a second location 300B, although example embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0088] In some example embodiments, each edge computing device of the edge computing entity 20 may be communicatively coupled to one or more unmodernized elevator components that are physically at or proximate to the edge computing device and / or one or more modernized elevator components that are physically at or proximate to the edge computing device. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first elevator components 12-1 include a modernized elevator component 12A, and the first edge computing device 20A may be communicatively coupled with at least theAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA modernized elevator component 12A according to a first communication protocol through a first communication protocol link 42. However, it will be understood that the first edge computing device 20A may be communicatively coupled to one or more of the first elevator components 12-1 through one or more overlays 30. For example, the one or more first elevator components 12-1 may include one or more modernized elevator components 12A and / or one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B. The first edge computing device 20A may be communicatively coupled to the unmodernized first elevator component(s) 12-1 through one or more overlays 30 and the first edge computing device 20A may be communicatively coupled to the modernized first elevator component(s) 12-1 according to the first communication protocol (e.g., independently of any overlays 30, although example embodiments are not limited thereto).

[0089] In another example, as shown in FIG. 3, the second elevator components 12-2 include an unmodernized elevator component 12B, and the second edge computing device 20B may be communicatively coupled with at least the unmodernized elevator component 12B through an overlay 30, for example through a first communication protocol link 42 between the second edge computing device 20B and the overlay 30 and a second communication protocol link 44 between the overlay 30 and the unmodernized elevator component 12B. However, it will be understood that the second edge computing device 20B may be communicatively coupled to one or more of the second elevator components 12-2 according to the first communication protocol (e.g., independently of any overlays 30). For example, the one or more second elevator components 12-2 may include one or more modernized elevator components 12A and / or one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B. The second edge computing device 20B may be communicatively coupled to the unmodernized second elevator component(s) 12-2 through one or more overlays 30 and the second edge computing device 20B may be communicatively coupled to the modernized first elevator component(s) 12-2 according to the first communication protocol (e.g., independently of any overlays 30, although example embodiments are not limited thereto).

[0090] In some example embodiments, each edge computing device of the edge computing entity 20 may maintain, in a respective memory 26, a respective local database copy of a same (e.g., common) elevator database 60. Each respective edge computing device may receive data from one or more respective elevator componentsAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA12 communicatively coupled thereto and store (e.g., write) data associated with the one or more respective elevator components 12 in the respective local database copy stored at the respective memory 26 of the respective edge computing device. The edge computing devices may further transmit database management signals to each other through the local communication link 46 (e.g., in response to receiving an API query signal from one or more other edge computing devices, in response to an update to a local database copy, any combination thereof, ort eh like) to enable the edge computing devices to update their respective local database copies to include updates of other local database copies at other edge computing devices. An edge computing device may, in response to writing data received from an elevator component to its local database copy, transmit a database management signal to one or more other edge computing devices through the local communication link 46. The database management signal may include information enabling the other edge computing devices to, based on processing the database management signal, to store the same data into their respective local database copies, even though the other edge computing devices do not receive the data from the elevator component 12 independently of the edge computing device to which the elevator component is communicatively coupled through at least a first communication protocol link 42. The other edge computing devices may then process the information in the updated local database copies and determine whether to generate and transmit output signals including one or more output commands to one or more elevator components communicatively coupled thereto to cause the one or more elevator components to control an operation of at least one elevator 10. As a result, one elevator component communicatively coupled to one edge computing device may be controlled by the one edge computing device based on information received at a separate edge computing device from a separate elevator component 12, without requiring a central computing device to receive signals from, and transmit output signals to, both of the elevator components. Thus, the control of elevator components in an elevator and / or elevator installation may be decentralized.

[0091] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first edge computing device 20A may store a first local database copy 60A of the elevator database 60 at a local memory 26 of the first edge computing device 20A, and the second edge computing device 20B may store a second local database copy 60B of the elevator database 60 at a local memory 26 of the second edge computing device 20B. The first edge computingAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA device 20A may be configured to receive a first signal from at least one of the first elevator components 12-1 (e.g., the modernized elevator component 12A thereof) according to the first communication protocol (e.g., through the first communication protocol link 42) and may process the first signal to obtain (e.g., identify, isolate, and / or generate) modernized elevator data indicated by the first signal and associated with at least the modernized elevator component 12A. The second edge computing device 20B may be configured to receive a second signal from at least one of the second elevator components 12-2 (e.g., the unmodernized elevator component 12B thereof though an overlay 30) and may process the second signal to obtain (e.g., identify, isolate, and / or generate) unmodernized elevator data indicated by the second signal and associated with at least the unmodernized elevator component 12B. The first edge computing device 20A may be configured to store the modernized elevator data obtained (e.g., identified, isolated, and / or generated) based on processing the first data to the first local database copy 60A, and the second edge computing device may be configured to store the unmodernized elevator data, obtained (e.g., identified, isolated, and / or generated) based on processing the second signal, to the second local database copy 60B.

[0092] In some example embodiments, the elevator database 60, and thus the first and second local database copies 60A and 60B, may include separate database entries 60-1 to 60-n (“n” being any real number) that may be associated with particular elevator components and / or particular data obtained based on processing signals from particular elevator components. For example, in FIG. 3, the elevator database 60 (and thus the first and second local database copies 60A and 60B) may include database entries 60-1 to 60-n associated with particular data and / or with particular separate elevator components the first database entry 60-1 is associated with particular modernized elevator data obtained based on processing first signals received from the modernized elevator component 12A communicatively coupled to the first edge computing device 20A, and the first edge computing device 20A may be configured to store the modernized elevator data obtained based on processing a received first signal to the first database entry 60-1 . For example, in example embodiments where the modernized elevator component 12A of the first elevator components 12-1 is a driver 14C, the modernized elevator component 12A may transmit a first signal indicating modernized elevator data that includes data indicating a current operating speed, load, current draw, etc. of the driver, and the first edge computing device 20AAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA may store such modernized elevator data at a particular first database entry 60-1 of the first local database copy 60A associated with driver indicated operating speed, load, electrical draw, etc. In another example, in example embodiments where the unmodernized elevator component 12B of the second elevator components 12-2 is an elevator car call panel (e.g., user interface) in an elevator car which may transmit a second signal indicating unmodernized elevator data that includes data indicating a service call to a particular landing floor, the second edge computing device 20B may store such unmodernized elevator data at a particular second database entry 60-2 of the second local database copy 60B that is associated with car-indicated floor landing served by a present service call (e.g., a present destination floor landing). However, it will be understood that both the first and second local database copies 60A and 60B may maintain copies of the first and second database entries 60-1 and 60-2.

[0093] In some example embodiments, the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B may be configured to communicate one or more database management signals with each other through the local communication link 46 to update data stored in one of the first local database copy 60A or the second local database copy 60B. An edge computing device may transmit a database management signal that indicates data stored in one or more, or all, database entries of the local database copy of the respective edge computing device, and the edge computing device may transmit the database management signal to one or more other edge computing devices through the local communication link to enable all of the local database copies to be updated to include the same stored data in the respective database entries thereof. An edge computing device may transmit a database management signal indicating data stored in one or more database entries of the respective local database copy of the edge computing device in response to receiving an application programming interface (API) query signal from another edge computing device through the local communication link. An edge computing device may transmit a database management signal to one or more other edge computing devices through the local communication link in response to data (e.g., updated data) being stored in the respective local database copy of the edge computing device to update one or more database entries of the respective local database copy, in which case the database management signal may include data indicating the data stored in each database entry of the respective local database copy or indicating the particularAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA updated data stored in the updated one or more database entries of the respective local database copy.

[0094] In response to receiving a database management signal, an edge computing device may process the database management signal to obtain database entry data associated with data stored at one or more particular database entries of the database 60 and may store the obtained database entry data at corresponding one or more database entries of the local database copy of the edge computing device, thereby enabling local database copies stored at separate edge computing devices to be updated to match each other in response to data being stored to one off the local database copies being replicated to other local database copies to enable edge computing devices to use data obtained from elevator components that are not directly connected to the edge computing devices.

[0095] In some example embodiments, one or more edge computing devices of the edge computing entity 20 may be configured to cause an output signal to be transmitted to at least one elevator component 12 of a modernized elevator component 12A and / or an unmodernized elevator component 12B, for example based on processing the retrieved data to generate one or more output commands and to generate and transmit one or more output signals including the one or more output commands, to control an operation of at least one elevator 10 (e.g., a modernized elevator or an unmodernized elevator 10B), based on retrieving data that is retrieved from at least one database entry of the elevator database 60. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the edge computing entity 20 may be configured to control an operation of at least one of the modernized elevator component 12A of the first elevator components 12-1 or the unmodernized elevator component 12B of the second elevator components 12-2, based on at least one of (1 ) the first edge computing device 20A transmitting a first output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of unmodernized elevator data associated with the unmodernized elevator component 12B from the first local database copy 60A (e.g., based on retrieving and processing data from the second database entry 60-2 associated with the unmodernized elevator component 12B), or (2) the second edge computing device 20B transmitting a second output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of modernized elevator data associated with the modernized elevator component 12A from the second local database copy 60B (e.g., based on retrieving and processing data from the first database entry 60-1 associated with the modernized elevator component 12A). AsAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA described herein, the data stored in the first and second database entries 60-1 and 60-2 may be replicated between the first and second local database copies 60A and 60B based on the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B communicating database management signals with each other through the local communication link 46.

[0096] For example, the first edge computing device 20A may process unmodernized elevator data retrieved from the second database entry 60-2 of the first local database copy 60A, where said unmodernized elevator data is stored at the second database entry 60-2 of the first local database copy 60A based on the second edge computing device 20B storing unmodernized elevator data obtained based on processing a second signal received from the unmodernized elevator component 12B of the second elevator components 12-2 to a second database entry 60-2 of the second local database copy 60B and further transmitting a database management signal indicating the unmodernized elevator data being stored at the second database entry 60-2 to the first edge computing device 20A through the local communication link 46. The first edge computing device 20A may process the unmodernized elevator data retrieved from the second database entry 60-2 of the first local database copy 60A to generate and transmit an output signal to the modernized elevator component 12A of the first elevator components 12-1 at location 300A according to the first communication protocol, where the modernized elevator component 12A processes the output signal to execute the output command to control an operation of one or more elevator components 12 of an elevator 10.

[0097] In another example, the second edge computing device 20B may process modernized elevator data retrieved from the first database entry 60-1 of the second local database copy 60B, where said modernized elevator data is stored at the first database entry 60-1 of the second local database copy 60B based on the first edge computing device 20A storing the modernized elevator data, obtained based on processing a first signal received from the modernized elevator component 12A of the first elevator components 12-1 , to a first database entry 60-1 of the first local database copy 60A and further transmitting a database management signal indicating the modernized elevator data being stored at the first database entry 60-1 to the second edge computing device 20B through the local communication link 46. The second edge computing device 20B may process the modernized elevator data retrieved from the first database entry 60-1 of the second local database copy 60B to generate andAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA transmit an output signal to the unmodernized elevator component 12B of the second elevator components 12-2 at location 300B though an overlay 30, where the unmodernized elevator component 12B processes the output signal to execute the output command to control an operation of one or more elevator components 12 of an elevator 10, which may be the same elevator in which both the first and second elevator components 12-1 and 12-2 are located at different location 300A and 300B therein.

[0098] It will be understood that the system 1 shown in FIG. 3 may be the same as or included in the system 1 shown in FIG. 1 . For example, the first and second elevator components 12-1 and 12-2 may be included in separate, respective elevators 10A and 10B, where the first elevator components 12-1 may include the elevator components 14A to 14K of the modernized elevator 10A and the second elevator components 12- 2 may include the elevator components 14A to 14K of the unmodernized elevator 10B, and the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B may collectively implement the edge computing entity 20 shown in FIG. 1 .

[0099] Referring now to FIG. 4, the method shown therein illustrates transmission of data from a first elevator component 12-1 (e.g., modernized elevator data) between first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B to causing a second elevator component 12-2 to control an operation of one or more elevator components 12 of an elevator 10 but it will be understood that the operations may be reversed relative to what is show in FIG. 4, such that data from a second elevator component 12-2 (e.g., unmodernized elevator data) may be transmitted between first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B to cause a first elevator component 12-1 to control an operation of one or more elevator components 12 of an elevator 10.

[0100] At S402, a first elevator component 12-1 (e.g., a modernized elevator component 12A) of an elevator 10 transmits a first signal that indicates first data associated with the first elevator component 12-1 (e.g., modernized elevator data associated with at least the modernized elevator component 12A) to a first edge computing device 20A of the edge computing entity 20. In example embodiments where the first elevator component 12-1 is a modernized elevator component, the first signal is transmitted at S402 from the first elevator component 12-1 to the first edge computing device 20A according to a first communication protocol (e.g., independently of any overlays 30, although example embodiments are not limited thereto). In example embodiments where the first elevator component 12-1 is an unmodernizedAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA elevator component 12B, the first signal is transmitted at S402 to an overlay 30 according to a second communication protocol, and the overlay 30 converts the first signal to be transmitted to the first edge computing device 20A according to the first communication protocol at S403.

[0101] At S404, the first edge computing device 20A receives the first signal. At S406, the first edge computing device 20A processes the first signal to obtain the first data associated with the first elevator component 12-1 (e.g., modernized elevator data associated with at least the modernized elevator component 12A). At S408, the first edge computing device 20A stores the first data (e.g., modernized elevator data) at a particular one or more database entries in a first local database copy 60A of an elevator database 60 (e.g., first database entry 60-1 ). The particular one or more database entries may be preexisting database entries, addresses, and / or cells associated with the first elevator component 12-1 and / or one or more particular properties associated therewith. The storing at S408 may include processing the first data to identify that the first data is associated with the first elevator component 12-1 and / or one or more particular properties, accessing the first local database copy 60A to identify one or more database entries, cells, addresses, or the like associated with the first elevator component 12-1 and / or one or more particular properties (e.g., the first database entry 60-1 ), and storing (e.g., writing) the first data at the identified one or more database entries (e.g., the first database entry 60-1 ).

[0102] At S410, the first edge computing device 20A transmits a database management signal to a second edge computing device 20B through the local communication link 46 therebetween. As shown, the database management signal may be transmitted at S410 in response to the second edge computing device 20B transmitting an API request to the first edge computing device 20A through the local communication link at S409, but example embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the database management signal may be transmitted at S410 based on a determination (e.g., at the first edge computing device 20A) that new or updated data is stored at one or more database entries of the first local database copy, in response to receiving an API request, in response to an elapse of a particular time interval, any combination thereof, or the like. The database management signal may include information indicating one or more particular database entries (e.g., the first database entry 60-1 ) and the particular first data stored at the one or more particular database entries of the first local copy of the elevator database at S408.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0103] At S412, the second edge computing device 20B receives the database management signal. At S414, the second edge computing device 20B processes the database management signal to obtain (e.g., identify, isolate, etc.) information indicating at least the first database entry 60-1 of the elevator database 60 and the first data stored at the first database entry 60-1 at the first local database copy 60A, and the second edge computing device 20B responsively updates the second local database copy 60B based on storing the first data to the first database entry 60-1 of the second local database copy 60B based on a determination that the database management signal indicates that the first data is stored at the first database entry 60- 1 of the first local database copy 60A, thereby replicating the first data across the first database entry 60-1 of the first and second local database copies 60A and 60B.

[0104] At S416, the second edge computing device 20B executes a control program (e.g., elevator control program 64) that monitors one or more particular database entries of the second local database copy 60B (e.g., monitors the first database entry 60-1 of the second local database copy 60B) to monitor data stored in the one or more particular database entries. The monitoring may include retrieving and processing data stored in one or more database entries of the second local database copy 60B in response to determining that data is newly stored (e.g., written) at the one or more database entries of the second local database copy 60B. Such processing may include retrieving and processing the first data from the first database entry 60-1 of the second local database copy 60B, in response to a determination at the second edge computing device 20B that the first data is written to the first database entry 60-1 of the second local database copy 60B (e.g., to overwrite data previously stored at the first database entry 60-1 ). In some example embodiments, the second edge computing device 20B is communicatively coupled (through on overlays 30 or independently of any overlays) with one or more particular second elevator components 12-2 independently of the first edge computing device 20A, and the second edge computing device 20B is configured to monitor one or more particular database entries of the second local database copy 60B that may include data that may be used to control the one or more particular second elevator components 12-2, such that the processing at S416 may include monitoring the one or more particular database entries (e.g., the first database entry 60-1 ) of the second local database copy 60B and processing data stored therein to determine whether to cause the one orAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA more particular second elevator components 12-2 to control (e.g., perform) one or more operations of an elevator 10.

[0105] At S416, the processing may include determining a particular elevator operation to be controlled and / or implemented by one or more second elevator components 12-2 communicatively coupled (through an overlay or independently of any overlays) with the second edge computing device 20B independently of any other edge computing devices, based on monitoring the one or more database entries of the second local database copy 60B (e.g., one or more database entries at which the first data is stored in response to processing the database management signal at S414). The processing at S416 may include generating an output command and output signal including same to cause the one or more second elevator components 12-2 to control one or more operations of an elevator 10. In some example embodiments, the one or more second elevator components 12-2 may be included in the same elevator 10 as the first elevator component 12-1 . For example, in example embodiments where the first elevator component 12-1 transmits first data indicating a destination landing floor of an elevator car serving a call in an elevator 10, the processing at S416 may include determining that a second elevator component 12-2 that is a landing door device at the destination landing floor is to operate a display device to display an indication that the elevator car is approaching the destination landing floor based on processing the first data included in a database management signal received from the first edge computing device 20A at S412.

[0106] At S418, the second edge computing device 20B may further transmit the output signal that includes the output command to a second elevator component 12-2 based on the processing at S416. In example embodiments where the second elevator component 12-2 is a modernized elevator component 12A communicatively coupled to the second edge computing device 20-2 according to the first communication protocol (e.g., independently of any overlays, although example embodiments are not limited thereto), the output signal is transmitted at S418 from the second edge computing device 20B to the second elevator component 12-2 as a modernized output signal according to the first communication protocol. In example embodiments where the second elevator component 12-2 is an unmodernized elevator component 12B, the output signal is transmitted to an overlay according to a first communication protocol, and the overlay converts the modernized output signal to be transmitted according to a different, second communication protocol to theAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA second elevator component 12-2 at S420. The overlay performing the conversion and transmission at S420 may be a different overlay than an overlay that may perform the conversion and transmission at S403.

[0107] At S422, the second elevator component 12-2 may receive the output signal, either as a modernized output signal (in example embodiments where the second edge component is a modernized elevator component configured to receive output signals according to the first communication protocol) or as an unmodernized output signal (in example embodiments where the second edge component is an unmodernized elevator component configured to receive output signals according to the second communication protocol). At S424, the second elevator component 12-2 processes the received output signal to obtain the output command and processes / executes the output command to implement and / or control at least one elevator component 12 of the elevator, including for example controlling an operation of one or more elevator components 12 of the elevator 10 to limit operating speed of the driver 14C of the elevator 10, limit the maximum speed and / or acceleration of the elevator car 14B of the elevator 10, to inhibit elevator car 14B travel in the elevator 10 to one or more certain landing floors 18, to move the elevator car 14B of the elevator 10 to a particular landing floor 18 and to inhibit call servicing by the elevator 10, to generate and provide (e.g., display) a service notification through one or more user interfaces 14F and / or 14G of the elevator 10, etc.

[0108] Still referring to FIGS. 3-4, the system 1 and elevator installation 2 according to some example embodiments may provide an edge computing entity 20 that distributes the elevator controller, the elevator’s data storage, and other digital processes of one or more elevators 10 in multiple computing devices located in different physical locations to consolidate all communication protocols into one common physical layer. The system 1 and elevator installation 2 according to some example embodiments may incorporate overlays to interface location-specific hardware, to edge computing devices to decouple the hardware installed during modernization and the software services, and simplifying signal wiring requirements between physical locations. This abstraction of hardware and software allows for flexibility to re-utilize existing wiring or even control system infrastructure on modernizations of elevators 10 in an elevator installation, thereby reducing costs, complexity, and thus time and effort associated with modernization of one or more elevators 10 in an elevator installation 2.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0109] In some example embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1 -4, an edge computing entity 20, including one or more edge computing devices implementing same, that is configured to communicate with elevator components 12 according to a single communication protocol (e.g., the first communication protocol) may enable a single physical layer in the elevator installation 2 including modernized elevators 10A for communications between the elevator components 12 and a control system (which is implemented by the edge computing entity 20). In some example embodiments, by providing an edge computing entity 20 that is configured to communicate with elevator components 12 and / or overlays 30 according to a first communication protocol (e.g., according to a single communication protocol), the edge computing entity 20 may consolidate all communication protocols into one common physical layer (e.g., provided by communications according to the first communication protocol) that may reduce, minimize, or prevent use of a wide variety of communication protocols for communications between elevator components, control system, and the like, thereby reducing, minimizing, or preventing complex wiring requirements for the elevator’s control system associating with providing multiple physical layers to accommodate multiple different communication protocols. Additionally, by reducing, minimizing, or preventing complex wiring requirements in an elevator installation, the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may enable existing wiring infrastructure in an elevator 10 being modernized to be reused (e.g., for communications according to the first communication protocol, for communications between elevator components 12 and an overlay 30, for uses other than communications between elevator components 12 and the control system implemented by the edge computing entity 20, any combination thereof, or the like). For example, the use of the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) in an elevator installation 2 as shown in FIGS. 1 -4 may enable the travelling cable 14K in an unmodernized elevator 10B to be reused and not replaced when the elevator is modernized to be a modernized elevator 10A. By enabling the travelling cable 14K to be reused, the edge computing entity 20 may enable traveling cable replacement operations to be avoided, thereby significantly reducing costs, time, material waste, and effort to perform modernizations and reducing or minimizing operational disruptions in buildings that include elevator installations 2 undergoing modernization.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0110] In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 that includes the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may be configured to provide a “serverless” elevator database 60 that can be scaled across multiple edge computing devices and be accessed by any elevator program implemented by the edge computing devices. The edge computing entity may, based on utilizing the elevator database 60 to facilitate elevator operations and / or predictive maintenance, may decouple the database management system that deals with the storage of data in the database 60 from the programs that are executed by the edge computing entity 20 to execute queries. In addition, based on the elevator installation 2 including one or more overlays 30, the elevator installation 2 may be configured to decouple location-specific signal processing from the general edge computing devices of the edge computing entity 20, allowing for a flexible modernization overlay. For example, signals transmitted from an unmodernized elevator component 12B may be integrated into the edge computing entity 20 (e.g., integrated into one or more edge computing devices thereof), but the processing and software layer may remain the same between modernized and unmodernized elevator components 12A and 12B, creating a common electrification layer during the modernization period, allowing all digital services (e.g., cloud services, including for example cloud-based predictive maintenance) to be provided during and after the modernization so as to be provided even for unmodernized elevator components 12B and / or unmodernized elevators 10B during the modernization process.

[0111] In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 that includes the edge computing entity 20 may be configured to simplify the overall communication structures between different physical locations of the elevator installation 2 (e.g., between different edge computing devices, including for example the first and second edge computing devices 20A and 20B) by communicating database management and API queries (e.g., only communicating database management signals and API queries) over the local communication link 46 between different edge computing devices thereby reducing, minimizing, or preventing the use of different communication protocols like LON, CAN, RS485, etc. and consolidating all communications utilized for communications to / from the edge computing entity 20 within the elevator installation to one communication protocol (e.g., the first communication protocol) or a small number of communication protocols. For example, the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or moreAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA overlays 30) may enable consolidation of all communications to / from the edge computing devices and other edge computing devices and / or elevator components 12 and / or overlays 30) to ethernet based protocols improving the current conductor requirements of the overall elevator’s control system including the traveling cable 14K, allowing reutilization of existing traveling cables 14K in modernizations of one or more elevators 10, which brings multiple benefits. In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 that includes the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may provide significant savings in installation time and material cost of modernization operations in the elevator installation 2. In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 that includes the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may decrease the amount of waste, new materials, transportation, and logistics by re-using the existing traveling cables 14K; all of which have a significant impact in the sustainability of our modernization operations. In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 that includes the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may be applied also to communications with modernized elevator components 12A to simplify traveling cable design which could impact material cost and installation efficiency.

[0112] In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 that includes the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may decouple data acquisition hardware (e.g., one or more overlays 30) from the general processing performed by the edge computing entity 20 and one or more edge computing devices thereof and the software executed thereby, creating a highly scalable system where unmodernized elevator components 12B of an elevator 10 may communicate to modernized elevator components 12A of the elevator 10 through the same communication protocols, for example through communication of such elevator components to one or more edge computing devices directly or through an overlay such that communications at the edge computing devices are according to the first communication protocol, and where the edge computing devices may communicate with each other through a local communication link. For example, the elevator installation 2 including the edge computing entity 20 (and in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may be configured to enable modernization of an elevator car user interface elevator component 12 without changing the existing unmodernized elevator component 12B, as an edge computing device 20AAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA communicatively coupled with the unmodernized elevator component 12B through an overlay 30 could be configured to implement overlay software to enable communication with the unmodernized elevator component 12B (e.g., controller elevator component) through the overlay 30, but an edge computing device 20B at the elevator car could communicate with the modernized elevator component 12A according to the first communication protocol, and the edge computing devices 20A and 20B may enable interaction between the modernized and unmodernized elevator components 12A and 12B based on utilization of the elevator database as shown and described with reference to FIGS. 3-4.

[0113] In some example embodiments, an elevator installation 2 that includes the edge computing entity 20 (and, in some example embodiments, one or more overlays 30) may create a common electrification layer between modernization overlay 30 and post-modernization state of the elevator installation 2 when the overlay(s) 30 may be removed from the elevator installation, which provides multiple benefits. For example, such an elevator installation 2 may provide installation time and cost savings as most of the components installed for the overlay 30 will remain once the final product is completed. In addition, such an elevator installation 2 may be configured to offer digital services and / or cloud services, for example cloud-based predictive maintenance, with regard to unmodernized elevators 10B and any unmodernized elevator components thereof 12B, in addition to modernized elevators 10A, as the edge computing entity 20 and one or more overlays 30 may enable interface of the unmodernized elevator component(s) 12B with systems (e.g., the cloud computing system 4) that provide such services, thereby improving the functionality of an elevator installation that still includes unmodernized elevator components while modernization is proceeding, including increasing the services that may be provided for an unmodernized elevator component 12B and / or unmodernized elevator 10B (e.g., cloud-based predictive maintenance).

[0114] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a distributed controller unit architecture implemented by an edge computing entity of an elevator installation, according to some example embodiments. The distributed controller unit architecture may be implemented with regard to an elevator installation 2 of any of the example embodiments, including the elevator installation 2 shown in FIG. 1 , the elevator installation 2 shown in FIG. 3, or any combination thereof. The distributed controllerAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA unit architecture may be implemented by one or more computing devices 800 such as shown in FIG. 8.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 5, a distributed controller unit architecture 500 of the elevator installation 2 may include components 502 that may change in the elevator installation 2 during modernization of one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation 2 and may include components 510 that are included in the elevator installation 2 throughout and after the modernization of the one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation (e.g., referred to herein as common components). The distributed controller unit architecture 500 may implement a system 1 where the elevator controller function of one or more elevators, elevator data storage of one or more elevators, and other digital processes of the one or more elevators are distributed across one or more edge computing devices of the edge computing entity 20. Where the edge computing entity 20 includes multiple edge computing devices, the edge computing devices may be located in different physical locations. Components 510 may include an edge computing layer 512 that may be implemented by the edge computing entity 20 (e.g., one or more edge computing devices thereof).

[0116] As shown in FIG. 5, the distributed controller unit architecture 500 of the elevator installation 1 may include a data acquisition layer 504 that communicates signals received from one or more elevator components of one or more elevators to the edge computing layer 512 implemented by the edge computing entity 20. The data acquisition layer 504 may be at least partially implemented by one or more specific overlays 30 (also referred to herein as data acquisition modules) which may receive all the different data signals from one or more unmodernized elevator components which may be located proximate to the specific overlay in that specific location. Each overlay 30 may be configured to receive signals of various communication protocols from the proximate elevator components and convert the received signals to modernized signals that may be transmitted to the edge computing layer according to a particular (e.g., same) first communication protocol. In some example embodiments, a modernized elevator component 12A may be communicatively coupled to the edge computing entity 20 independently of any overlays, such that the data acquisition layer 504 may include a communication link (e.g., a wired or wireless connection) that enables communication between the modernized elevator component and the edge computing entity according to the first communication protocol.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0117] The edge computing entity 20 (e.g., the one or more edge computing devices thereof) may execute relevant processing software and / or programs 62 to 69 (e.g. elevator control program 64, overlay program 62, on-site monitoring service program 69, cloud services program 66, group controller interface program 68, etc., collectively referred to herein as relevant processing software 520) locally, reads the locationspecific data signals (e.g., the data indicated by signals communicated to the edge computing entity 20 from one or more elevator components 12 through the data acquisition layer 504) and writes the data indicated by the data signals into one or more local copies of an elevator database 60 that may be hosted (e.g., stored) in a memory of the one or more edge computing devices implementing the edge computing entity 20 (and thus implementing the edge computing layer 512). In some example embodiments, and as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B and FIGS. 7A and 7B, one or more edge computing devices implementing the edge computing layer 512 (e.g., the first edge computing device 20A as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B and FIGS. 7A and 7B) may include one or more additional components, including for example a group control device 82 (e.g., a computing device configured to operate to control one or more elevators and / or elevator components and an on-site monitoring service interface 84 (e.g., a computing device, communication interface, or any combination thereof configured to enable remote monitoring and / or control of operation of one or more elevators 10 of the elevator installation 2 from a remote computing device through a remote communication link), and may be configured to execute corresponding group controller interface program 68 and on-site monitoring service program 69, respectively, to control operations of the devices.

[0118] As further shown, the “common” components 510 of the architecture 500 include a cloud services layer 516 and a connectivity layer 514. The cloud services layer 516 is implemented by one or more cloud computing system 4 (themselves implemented by one or more cloud computing devices 50). The connectivity layer 514 may be at least partially implemented by one or more remote communication links (e.g., one or more network communication links) that communicatively couple the edge computing layer 512 (e.g., edge computing entity 20) to the cloud services layer 516 (e.g., the cloud computing system 4). The connectivity layer 514 may be at least partially implemented by one or more local communication links that communicatively coupled separate edge computing devices of the edge computing entity 20 independent of any communication links to the elevator components.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0119] In some example embodiments, the edge computing layer 512 executes relevant processing software 520 to transmit information associated with one or more elevator components to the cloud services layer 516 to enable the cloud services layer 516 to perform one or more predictive maintenance operations (e.g., cloud-based predictive maintenance). In some example embodiments, the edge computing layer 512 enables control of an elevator component located in one location of one or more elevators based on data associated with one or more other elevator components located in a different location, where the elevator components may not be communicatively coupled to a same (common) overlay or edge computing device, based on the edge computing layer 512 (e.g., edge computing entity 20) executing relevant processing software 520 to access one or more local copies of the elevator database 60 to retrieve (e.g., read) information relevant to control of the elevator component, where said information is stored in the one or more local copies based on the edge computing layer receiving and storing the information, from another elevator component located in a different location, in a first local copy of the database and, in example embodiments where multiple local copies are maintained, transmitting a database management signal to update the other local copies to include the same information. As a result, the data transmitted from an elevator component in one location may be used to control another elevator component in a different location without require direct communication between the two locations.

[0120] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams of a system including an edge computing entity having multiple edge computing devices communicatively coupled to separate elevator components and a data flow from an overlay to a cloud computing system through at least one edge computing device of the edge computing entity, according to some example embodiments. The system shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B may be implemented by the system 1 shown in one or both of FIG. 1 , FIG. 3, and / or FIG. 5, although example embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0121] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a data flow of the system 1 providing digital services through a cloud computing system to an elevator installation during modernization, such that the system 1 provides digital services with regard to both modernized and unmodernized elevator components and / or elevators. The particular data flow shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrates providing digital services with regard to an unmodernized elevator component 12B of an unmodernized elevator. As shown, when modernization is completed, the unmodernized elevator component 12B may beAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA replaced with a modernized elevator component, which may be communicatively coupled to an edge computing device of the edge computing entity 20 according to a first communication protocol (and which may be communicatively coupled thereto through an overlay 30 or independently of any overlays 30).

[0122] At S602, a general overlay 30 that is communicatively coupled to an unmodernized controller elevator component 12B of an elevator 10 receives an unmodernized data signal from the unmodernized elevator component 12B. For example, the unmodernized data signal (also referred to herein as a second signal) may include service data that the elevator 10 is out of service (e.g., due to a fault, malfunction, etc.). The general overlay 30 may convert the unmodernized data signal to be transmitted to a first edge computing device 20A through a first communication protocol link 42 according to the first communication protocol. The first edge computing device 20A may process the modernized data signal (e.g., based on executing an overlay program 62) to obtain the service data indicating the “out of service” signal and store (e.g., write) the service data at one or more particular database entries associated with at least one of the unmodernized controller elevator component 12B, the elevator 10, the particular type of service signal, or any combination thereof in the first local database copy 60A of the database 60. The first edge computing device 20A may transmit a database management signal to a second edge computing device 20B through a local communication link 46 to enable the second edge computing device 20B to update the second local database copy 60B to include the service data and to execute one or more programs to control one or more separate elevator components communicatively coupled to the second edge computing device 20B based on accessing the service data from the updated second local database copy 60B without requiring direct communication between the unmodernized controller elevator component 12B that transmitted the service data and the one or more separate elevator components.

[0123] At S604, the first edge computing device 20A executes a program (e.g., cloud services program 66) to access the first local database copy 60A and to process data stored in the one or more particular database entries thereof to thereby process the service data and to determine that the elevator 10 is out of service.

[0124] At S606, the first edge computing device 20A, executing the cloud services program 66, transmits a signal to the cloud computing system 4 through a remote communication link 52 (e.g., cellular gateway, network communication interface, etc.)Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA to communicate information associated with the elevator 10 (e.g., an indication that the elevator is out of service as indicated by the service data) to the cloud computing system 4. The cloud computing system 4 may process the information to execute one or more additional operations, including for example transmitting a command to a maintenance operator to dispatch the maintenance operator to repair the elevator 10, a command to the first edge computing device 20A to transmit an output signal to the unmodernized elevator component 12B or one or more other elevator components 12 (or to write data to the first local database copy 60A that may be updated into other local database copies 60B through the local communication link 46 to cause other edge computing devices 20B to control other elevator components) to cause the elevator 10 to perform one or more particular service operations (e.g., display an indication that the elevator is out of service and / or that a maintenance technician is dispatched).

[0125] In some example embodiments, at least one of the edge computing devices implementing the edge computing entity 20 (e.g., the first edge computing device 20A as shown) includes a remote communication interface 28 and is configure to execute a cloud services program 66 to enable communication with a cloud computing system 4, while at least one other edge computing device implementing the edge computing entity 20 (e.g., the first edge computing device 20B as shown) does not include a (or any) remote communication interface 28 and is not configured to communicate with the cloud computing system 4 over a remote communication link 52. The first edge computing device 20A may be configured to retrieve, from the first local database copy 60A, data associated with the second edge computing device 20B and / or any second elevator components 12-2 communicatively coupled to the second edge computing device 20B, based on communication of database management signals including such data from the second edge computing device 20B to the first communication device 20A via the local communication link 46 to be stored in the first local database copy 60A. The first edge computing device 20A may execute the cloud service program 66 to transmit a cloud communication signal including data associated with the second edge computing device 20A and / or elevator components 12-2 coupled thereto to the cloud computing system 4 to perform a predictive maintenance operation 54. As a result, cloud services (e.g., cloud-based predictive maintenance) may be performed for elevator components 12-2 that are communicatively coupled to an edge computing device (e.g., the second edge computing device 20B) that is not configured toAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA communicate with the cloud computing system 4 through any remote communication link 52, based on communication of data between separate edge computing device to replicate data stored in a local database copy of one or more edge computing devices to be stored in a local database copy of at least one edge computing device that is configured to transmit signals (e.g., cloud communication signals) to the cloud computing system 4 through the remote communication link 52.

[0126] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, as modernization of an elevator and / or elevator installation proceeds, unmodernized elevator components 12B may be replaced with modernized elevator components 12A, and the corresponding overlays 30 that communicatively couple the edge computing entity 20 with unmodernized elevator components 12B may be removed from the elevator installation 2 (such that the modernized elevator components 12A may be communicatively coupled with the edge computing entity 20 according to a first communication protocol independently of any overlays 30). In some example embodiments, the corresponding overlays 30 may be replaced or modified to maintain the first communication protocol link 42 between the overlay(s) 30 and the edge computing entity 20 and to further be communicatively coupled from the overlay(s) 30 to the modernized elevator component(s) 12A according to the same first communication protocol, such that data signals may be communicated from the modernized elevator component(s) 12A to the edge computing entity 20 without being converted between different communication protocols, even though one or more overlays 30 may interpose in the first communication protocol link 42 between the modernized elevator component(s) 12A and the edge computing entity 20.

[0127] FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of a system including an edge computing entity having multiple edge computing devices communicatively coupled to separate elevator components and a data flow from between separate edge computing devices of the edge computing entity, according to some example embodiments. The system shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B may be implemented by the system 1 shown in one or both of FIG. 1 , FIG. 3, FIG. 5, and / or FIGS. 6A and 6B, although example embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0128] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a data flow of the system 1 enabling elevator components 12 at different locations and communicatively coupled to different edge computing devices of the edge computing entity 20 (and where said edge computing devices may be located in different locations and communicatively coupled to eachAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA other through a separate local communication link) to be controlled based on data transmitted from other elevator components 12 in other locations without requiring direct communication between elevator components 12 in different locations and further without requiring the elevator components in different locations to be communicatively coupled to a same edge computing device.

[0129] In the example embodiments shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the elevator installation 2 includes a first edge computing device 20A that is a control space edge computing device located at a first location 300A that is a fixed location in an elevator 10 (e.g., proximate to the driver 14C as shown in FIG. 1 , although example embodiments are not limited thereto) and is communicatively coupled to proximate elevator components 12 that are also fixed in position (e.g., the driver 14C), while the elevator installation 2 further includes a second edge computing device 20B that is a car edge computing device located at a second location 300B that is different from the first location 300A and is on, at, or in the elevator car 14B and thus is configured to move with the elevator car 14B and is communicatively coupled to proximate elevator components 12 that are located at, on, and / or in the elevator car 14B and thus also move with the elevator car 14B. As shown, the elevator car and the control space may be coupled by a travelling cable 14K, but the edge computing devices 20A and 20B may or may not be communicatively coupled to each other through the travelling cable 14K (e.g., the local communication link 46 may be a wireless communication link or may be a wired communication link extending through the travelling cable 14K).

[0130] At S702, a car call is registered in a modernized elevator component 12A in the elevator car 14B (e.g., a car operating panel). In response, a modernized data signal (also referred to herein as a first signal) including information indicating the car call is transmitted from the modernized elevator component 12A (e.g., car operating panel) to the second edge computing device 20B (directly or through an overlay 30) according to the first communication protocol. The car edge computing device 20B executes elevator controller software running locally in the car edge computing device 20B to process actions and / or operations regarding the call to be implemented at the car edge computing device 20B and / or elevator components 12 at the second location 300B (e.g., the elevator car 14B). In some example embodiments, the car edge computing device 20B determines that certain signals associated with operation of elevator components 12 at other locations and not communicatively coupled directly to the car edge computing device 20B (independently of other edge computingAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA devices) may be written in a second local database copy 60B of the elevator database 60 that is stored at a memory of the car edge computing device 20B. The data may be stored at one or more particular database entries associated with operation of the other elevator components.

[0131] At S704, the car edge computing device 20B transmits a database management signal to the control space edge computing device 20A through the local communication link 46, where the database management signal includes information indicating the data written to the second local database copy 60B at S702. The database management signal may be transmitted in response to an API query transmitted from the control space edge computing device 20A through the local communication link 46, although example embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, the database management signal maybe transmitted in response to data being updated in at least one database entry of the second local database copy 60B and / or in response to an elapse of time since a previous database management signal was transmitted. The control space edge computing device 20A may process the data management signal to obtain the data written to the second local database copy 60B at S702, and in response the control space edge computing device 20A may store the data to corresponding one or more database entries of the first local database copy 60A. As a result, the database 60 is replicated at multiple locations (e.g., at the car and control space edge computing devices 20B and 20A) thereby enabling the edge computing entity 20 to provide an elevator database 60 having redundancy and high- availability, and to allow local access to the information stored in the elevator database 60 by multiple edge computing devices. Furthermore, as shown, traffic between separate edge computing devices 20A and 20B at separate locations 300A and 300B in one or more elevators may be limited to communications over the local communication link, which may be limited to database management signals, alone or in combination with API queries.

[0132] At S706, the control space edge computing device 20A may execute a relevant processing software (e.g., program, application, etc.) running locally at the control space edge computing device 20A to access the first local database copy 60A to retrieve (e.g., read) the data (e.g., information associated with the car signals) and may process the retrieved data to generate one or more output signals including one or more output commands that may be transmitted to one or more elevator components 12 (e.g., an unmodernized elevator component 12B and / or a modernizedAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA elevator component 12A) to cause the one or more elevator components 12 to implement and / or control an elevator operation at one or more elevators, for example to control a driver 14C and / or safety brakes of the elevator 10 to reduce a rate of movement of the elevator car 14B through the elevator shaft 16 of the elevator 10. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, such transmission of an output signal may include transmitting the output signal to the unmodernized controller elevator component 12B through an overlay 30 to cause the unmodernized controller elevator component 12B to control operation of a driver 14C of the elevator to decelerate the elevator car 14B in motion through the elevator shaft 16.

[0133] In some example embodiments, including the example embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B and FIGS. 7A and 7B, the first elevator components 12-1 may include one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B prior to modernization of an elevator 10 at the first location 300A and the second elevator components 12-2 may include one or more modernized elevator components 12A subsequently to modernization of an elevator 10 (e.g., the same elevator 10 or a different elevator 10) at the second location 300B. However, example embodiments are not limited thereto. In some example embodiments, the first elevator components 12-1 shown in FIGS. 6A and / or 7A may include one or more modernized elevator components 12A, one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B, or any combination thereof. In some example embodiments, the second elevator components 12-2 shown in FIGS. 6B and / or 7B may include one or more modernized elevator components 12A, one or more unmodernized elevator components 12B, or any combination thereof.

[0134] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a computing device 800 according to some example embodiments. The computing device 800 may include, may be included in, and / or may implement any of the computing devices, computing entities, computeunits, computing systems, control units, control unit devices, controllers, controller devices, processors, systems, any portion thereof, or the like according to any of the example embodiments, including the elevator installation 2, the modernized elevator components 12A, the unmodernized elevator components 12B, the overlay 30, the edge computing entity 20, the first edge computing device 20A, the second edge computing device 20B, the cloud computing system 4, the cloud computing device 50, the mobile service device 70, any portion thereof, any combination thereof, or the like.

[0135] As shown in FIG. 8, the computing device 800 may include some or all of a processor 820 (e.g., a CPU), a memory 830 (e.g., a solid state drive, or SSD), andAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA one or more communication interfaces 840 (which may be any of the interfaces, communication interfaces, connection ports, transceivers, or the like as described herein) that are communicatively coupled together through a bus connection 810. It will be understood that any type of non-transitory computer readable storage device may be used as the memory 830 in addition or alternative to an SSD. The memory 830 may store a program of instructions and the processor 820 may be configured to execute the program of instructions to implement the functionality of any of the any of the computing devices, computing entities, compute-units, computing systems, control units, control unit devices, controllers, controller devices, processors, systems, any portion thereof, or the like as described herein.

[0136] In some example embodiments, some or all of any of the computing device 800 may include, may be included in, and / or may be implemented by one or more instances (e.g., articles, pieces, units, etc.) of processing circuitry such as hardware including logic circuits; a hardware / software combination such as a processor executing software; or a combination thereof. For example, the processing circuitry more specifically may include, but is not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a System-on-Chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other device or devices capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner. In some example embodiments, the processing circuitry may include a non- transitory computer readable storage device, or memory (e.g., memory 830), for example a solid state drive (SSD), storing a program of instructions, and a processor (e.g., processor 820), for example a central processing unit (CPU), that is communicatively coupled to the non-transitory computer readable storage device (e.g., through a bus connection 810) and configured to execute the program of instructions to implement the functionality of some or all of any of the computing devices, computing entities, compute-units, computing systems, control units, control unit devices, controllers, controller devices, processors, systems, any portion thereof, or the like of any of the example embodiments and / or to implement some or all of any of the methods of any of the example embodiments. It will be understood that, as described herein, an element (e.g., processing circuitry, digital circuits, etc.) that is described as “implementing” an element will be understood to implement the functionality of said implemented element and / or any other elements.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA

[0137] The foregoing description of some example embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the inventive concepts. Individual elements or features of a particular example embodiment are generally not limited to that particular example embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected example embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the inventive concepts, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the inventive concepts.

Claims

Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQAWHAT IS CLAIMED:1 . An elevator installation, comprising: a modernized elevator including a modernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a first communication protocol; an unmodernized elevator including an unmodernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol; an overlay communicatively connected to the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol; and an edge computing entity, the edge computing entity communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol, the edge computing entity communicatively coupled to the overlay according to the first communication protocol such that the edge computing entity is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay, the edge computing entity communicatively coupled to a cloud computing system through a remote communication link, wherein the edge computing entity is configured to receive a first signal from the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol, the first signal indicating modernized elevator data associated with the modernized elevator, receive a second signal from the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay, based on the overlay receiving the second signal from the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol and transmitting the second signal to the edge computing system according to the first communication protocol, the second signal indicating unmodernized elevator data associated with the unmodernized elevator, and transmit information associated with at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link to enable the cloud computing system to perform a predictive maintenance operation to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with at least one service need condition.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA2. The elevator installation of claim 1 , wherein the edge computing entity includes a memory storing an elevator database; and the edge computing entity is configured to store the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry, respectively, of the elevator database, and transmit the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link based on retrieving data from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.

3. The elevator installation of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the edge computing entity includes a memory storing an elevator database; and the edge computing entity is configured to store the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry, respectively, of the elevator database, and cause an output signal to be transmitted to at least one elevator component of the modernized elevator component or the unmodernized elevator component, to control an operation of at least one elevator of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on retrieving data that is retrieved from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.

4. The elevator installation of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the edge computing entity includes a first edge computing device and a second edge computing device, the first and second edge computing devices communicatively coupled to each other through a local communication link, at least one of the first edge computing device or the second edge computing device communicatively coupled to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link, the first edge computing device is communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol and independently of the second edge computing device,Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA the second edge computing device is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay, the first edge computing device stores a first local database copy of the elevator database at a local memory of the first edge computing device and the second edge computing device stores a second local database copy of the elevator database at a local memory of the second edge computing device, the first and second edge computing devices are configured to communicate one or more database management signals with each other through the local communication link to update data stored in one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy in response to at least one update to data stored in a different one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy, and the edge computing entity is configured to control an operation of at least one of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on at least one of the first edge computing device transmitting a first output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of the unmodernized elevator data from the first local database copy, or the second edge computing device transmitting a second output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of the modernized elevator data from the second local database copy.

5. A system, comprising: the elevator installation of any of claims 1 to 4; and a cloud computing device at least partially implementing a cloud computing system, the cloud computing device communicatively coupled to the edge computing entity of the elevator installation through the remote communication link, wherein the cloud computing device is configured to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition in response to detecting a trend indicated by the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data.Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA6. The system of claim 5, wherein the cloud computing device is configured to determine that the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition in response to processing the information to determine a service value, the service value associated with at least a portion of the elevator installation, determining the trend as a trendline of the service value over time, and determining that the trendline indicates that the service value at least meets a threshold value within a particular future time period.

7. The system of claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the cloud computing device is configured to transmit a service signal associated with the service need condition to at least one of the edge computing entity of the elevator installation or a mobile service device supporting a maintenance operator, to cause the at least one of the edge computing entity or the maintenance operator to perform a service action associated with the elevator installation.

8. A method for operating an elevator installation, the elevator installation including a modernized elevator, an unmodernized elevator, an overlay, and an edge computing entity, the modernized elevator including a modernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a first communication protocol, the unmodernized elevator including an unmodernized elevator component configured to transmit signals according to a second communication protocol that is different from the first communication protocol, the overlay communicatively connected to the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol, the edge computing entity communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol, the edge computing entity communicatively coupled to the overlay according to the first communication protocol such that the edge computing entity is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay, the edge computing entity communicatively coupled to a cloud computing system through a remote communication link, the method comprising: transmitting a first signal from the modernized elevator component to the edge computing entity according to the first communication protocol, the first signal indicating modernized elevator data associated with the modernized elevator;Atty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA transmitting a second signal from the unmodernized elevator component to the edge computing entity through the overlay, such that the overlay receives the second signal from the unmodernized elevator component according to the second communication protocol and transmits the second signal to the edge computing system according to the first communication protocol, the second signal indicating unmodernized elevator data associated with the unmodernized elevator; and transmitting information associated with at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link to enable the cloud computing system to perform a predictive maintenance operation to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with at least one service need condition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the edge computing entity includes a memory storing an elevator database; and the method further includes storing the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry, respectively, of the elevator database, and transmitting the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link based on retrieving data from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.

10. The method of claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the edge computing entity includes a memory storing an elevator database; and the method further includes storing the modernized elevator data and the unmodernized elevator data at a first database entry and a second database entry, respectively, of the elevator database, and causing an output signal to be transmitted to at least one elevator component of the modernized elevator component or the unmodernized elevator component, to control an operation of at least one elevator of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on retrieving dataAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA that is retrieved from at least one of the first database entry or the second database entry.11 . The method of any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the edge computing entity includes a first edge computing device and a second edge computing device, the first and second edge computing devices communicatively coupled to each other through a local communication link, at least one of the first edge computing device or the second edge computing device communicatively coupled to the cloud computing system through the remote communication link, the first edge computing device is communicatively coupled to the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol and independently of the second edge computing device, the second edge computing device is communicatively coupled to the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay, and the method further includes receiving the first signal at the first edge computing device from the modernized elevator component according to the first communication protocol and storing the modernized elevator data indicated by the first signal to a first local database copy of the elevator database, the first local database copy stored at a local memory of the first edge computing device, receiving the second signal at the second edge computing device from the unmodernized elevator component through the overlay and storing the unmodernized elevator data indicated by the second signal to a second local database copy of the elevator database, the second local database copy stored at a local memory of the second edge computing device, communicating one or more database management signals with each other through the local communication link to update data stored in one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy in response to at least one update to data stored in a different one of the first local database copy or the second local database copy, and controlling an operation of at least one of the modernized elevator or the unmodernized elevator, based on at least one ofAtty Docket No. 8959-000402-WO-PQA the first edge computing device transmitting a first output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of the unmodernized elevator data from the first local database copy, or the second edge computing device transmitting a second output signal based on retrieving at least a portion of the modernized elevator data from the second local database copy.

12. The method of any of claims 8 to 1 1 , further comprising: performing the predictive maintenance operation at a cloud computing device at least partially implementing the cloud computing system to determine whether the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition in response to detecting a trend indicated by the information associated with the at least one of the modernized elevator data or the unmodernized elevator data.

13. The method of any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the determining that the elevator installation is associated with the at least one service need condition includes processing the information to determine a service value, the service value associated with at least a portion of the elevator installation, determining the trend as a trendline of the service value over time, and determining that the trendline indicates that the service value at least meets a threshold value within a particular future time period.

14. The method of any of claims 8 to 13, further comprising: transmitting a service signal associated with the service need condition to at least one of the edge computing entity of the elevator installation or a mobile service device supporting a maintenance operator, to cause the at least one of the edge computing entity or the maintenance operator to perform a service action associated with the elevator installation.

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