Passenger Conveyor Controller OS Update via Multi-Protocol Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
In new installations of passenger conveyor systems like elevators and escalators, manually uploading the controller configuration to enable communication with the management service is time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A maintenance system and controller communicate via multiple protocols to identify and update the device controller's operating system, issuing alerts and updates as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual upload of controller configuration is used to enable communication with management service, then system integration is achieved, but significant time is required for the process
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance controller automatically performs configuration upload to the management service in advance during system initialization or controller startup, eliminating the need for manual intervention later. This preliminary automated action resolves the technical contradiction by achieving system integration without time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller system performs self-configuration and self-registration with the management service automatically without requiring external manual operation. The maintenance controller monitors its own status and autonomously uploads configuration data, enabling the system to serve itself and eliminating time-consuming manual processes.
2Reliability
If multiple communication protocols are implemented for controller identification, then compatibility and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance controller is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple communication protocols (CAN, serial, Ethernet) through a unified architecture. This universal design enables the single maintenance controller to perform identification and communication across different protocol types without proportionally increasing complexity, as the same hardware platform supports multiple protocols through software configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance controller acts as an intermediary device between the device controller and the management service. It handles protocol translation and communication mediation, absorbing the complexity of multiple protocols within the intermediary rather than requiring the device controller to directly support all protocols. This mediator approach improves reliability through protocol flexibility while containing complexity in a dedicated intermediary component.
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger conveying system for confirming a status of an operating system of a device controller of a passenger conveyor, having: a maintenance system; a maintenance controller coupled to the device controller via a first network and to the maintenance system via a second network, wherein the maintenance controller is configured to: transmit a first signal to the device controller utilizing one or more of a plurality of protocols to identify the communication capabilities of the device controller; transmit a second signal including current parameters of the operating system to the maintenance system, upon receiving a responsive signal from the device controller, to determine the status of an operating system; and issue an alert to the maintenance system after failing to receive a responsive signal from the device controller.