People Conveyor Software Update Background Download
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing people conveyor systems, such as elevators and escalators, face challenges in reliably updating software without disrupting operations, especially in changing conditions like slow data transfer speeds or communication interruptions, and require labor-intensive manual processes that increase downtime and risk of human error.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatically updating software in people conveyor components using a communicatively connected updating means with a processor and memory, which downloads updates from a remote system as a background process without affecting operations, schedules installations based on predefined criteria, verifies integrity, and uses multiple communication channels for reliability, ensuring seamless updates even during interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual on-site software updating is performed, then software updates can be applied, but labor intensity increases and elevator downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by downloading software updates to a local storage device before they are actually needed for installation. This allows the update files to be ready in advance, so when installation is initiated, it can proceed quickly without requiring real-time network connectivity, thereby reducing elevator downtime while maintaining update reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A local storage device acts as an intermediary between the remote server and the elevator controller. The update files are first transferred to this intermediate storage, then installed from local storage to the controller. This intermediary approach decouples the update process from continuous network dependency, allowing updates to be applied reliably even when network conditions are poor or unavailable during installation.
2Productivity
If remote software updating is performed with immediate installation upon download, then update speed is improved, but operation interruption occurs during download and installation
Solution Approach 1:
The system downloads update files to local storage in advance during periods when installation can be deferred. Once the update is downloaded and stored locally, the actual installation to the controller can be scheduled for an optimal time, separating the download phase from the installation phase and allowing better control over operation interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically schedules software installation based on operational conditions. Instead of immediately installing upon download completion, the system can defer installation until a predetermined time or until favorable conditions are detected (such as low usage periods), thus optimizing the balance between update speed and minimizing service disruption.
3Ease of operation
If software update is scheduled during optimal times, then user convenience is improved, but update duration is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The update process is segmented into distinct phases: download phase and installation phase. The download can occur during off-peak hours when user impact is minimal, and the installation can be scheduled separately. This segmentation allows the system to spread the total update duration across different time periods, improving user convenience by avoiding long interruptions during peak usage times while still completing the full update process.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for performing a software update of a people conveyor component in a conveyor system includes downloading a software update from a remote update system based on a request from one or more of the remote update system, at least one conveyor component or the conveyor system such that the software update is downloaded as a background download without affecting an operation of the conveyor system.