Elevator Car Communication Prioritization for Limited Bandwidth
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern elevator systems face communication challenges due to limited bandwidth, leading to packet collisions and delays, especially when multiple components transmit simultaneously, affecting reliability and safety-relevant data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that prioritize communication based on the position and proximity of elevator car components, using a first communication device on the car to determine a car position indicator and assign priority indicators to stationary devices, ensuring reliable transmission of safety-relevant data by prioritizing communications between closely located components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple components transmit data simultaneously over a network with limited bandwidth, then the system can maintain constant communication between all components, but packet collisions and transmission delays occur, reducing communication reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts communication parameters based on the elevator car's position. The control unit determines a car position indicator and uses it to dynamically prioritize communications from second communication devices that are spatially closer to the car, adapting the communication strategy in real-time as the car moves between landings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes communication parameters (priority levels) based on the car position indicator. Communications are assigned different priority indicators depending on the distance between the elevator car and the stationary second communication devices, with closer devices receiving higher priority to reduce their transmission delays.
2Reliability
If additional access points, signal repeaters, or redundant communication lines are added to increase bandwidth, then communication reliability improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing communication infrastructure and intelligently manages it through prioritization algorithms. Instead of adding more physical components, the control unit self-manages the limited bandwidth by dynamically prioritizing communications based on car position, making the system efficient without requiring additional hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system improves communication reliability by changing the priority parameter of existing communications rather than adding redundant communication lines or access points. This parameter-based approach maintains reliability while avoiding the complexity and cost of additional hardware components.
3Productivity
If communication bandwidth is increased through additional infrastructure, then transmission capacity improves, but planning and setup cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system maximizes the utilization of existing communication bandwidth through intelligent prioritization. The control unit automatically manages traffic based on car position, extracting maximum productivity from the current infrastructure without requiring expensive additional bandwidth expansion projects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically optimizes transmission capacity utilization by adjusting priority levels in real-time based on car position. This dynamic management increases effective throughput without requiring physical bandwidth expansion, avoiding the costs associated with additional infrastructure installation.
4Reliability
If more communication components are added to the system, then communication coverage and redundancy improve, but maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains communication coverage by intelligently prioritizing transmissions from relevant second communication devices based on car position. This software-based approach provides coverage optimization without adding physical components that would require maintenance, keeping the system easy to maintain while ensuring reliable communication.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method of operating an elevator system is provided. The elevator system includes an elevator car, a first communication device, and a plurality of stationary second communication devices communicatively connected to the first communication device. The method includes determining a car position indicator, the car position indicator being indicative of a position and/or a position-dependent communication condition of the elevator car relative to at least one of a plurality of second communication devices. The method includes, based on the car position indicator, determining a priority indicator for at least one of the plurality of second communication devices. The method further includes, based on the priority indicator, prioritizing or non-prioritizing a communication between the first communication device and the at least one of the plurality of second communication devices.