Elevator Sensor Prognostics for Remote Repair Planning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Elevator systems often require repetitive visits by mechanics for diagnosis and repair, leading to increased costs and downtime due to the inefficiencies in diagnosing and addressing operational issues.

Innovation Solution

A prognostic analysis method using sensors and the Internet of Things, which captures data from elevator sensors, performs predictive analytics, and automatically schedules on-site fixes through a cloud-based system, enabling early detection and resolution of operational issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If mechanics travel multiple times to diagnose and repair elevators, then repair completeness improves, but time loss and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverepair completenessVSAvoidtime loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary diagnostic actions by deploying sensors and conducting remote analyses before mechanics arrive on-site. This preliminary action identifies the root cause and required parts in advance, eliminating the need for multiple repetitive visits and reducing time loss while ensuring repair completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of repeated physical travel with an automated information-based system using sensors, cloud computing, and data analytics. This substitution enables remote diagnosis and predictive maintenance, eliminating time-consuming travel while maintaining or improving repair effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If mechanics travel multiple times for diagnosis and repair, then operational issues are resolved, but service cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational issue resolutionVSAvoidservice cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service through automated sensor monitoring, remote diagnostics, and predictive analytics that identify and diagnose operational issues without requiring immediate mechanical intervention. This self-service capability reduces the frequency of service calls and associated costs while maintaining reliable issue resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces costly repeated mechanical service visits with an automated remote monitoring and diagnostic system. This substitution reduces service costs by eliminating unnecessary travel while ensuring operational issues are identified and resolved efficiently through data-driven insights.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If traditional diagnostic methods are used, then operational issues are identified, but downtime increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational issue detectionVSAvoiddowntime

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements continuous monitoring through deployed sensors that constantly collect operational data from elevators. This continuous useful action enables real-time detection of operational issues without interrupting elevator operation, thereby identifying problems while minimizing downtime compared to traditional periodic diagnostic methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional manual diagnostic methods with automated sensor-based monitoring and remote analysis. This substitution enables continuous, non-intrusive detection of operational issues, reducing the need to take elevators offline for diagnosis and thereby minimizing downtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Device complexity

If simple sensor systems are used, then system complexity reduces, but measurement precision and predictive capability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidpredictive analytics accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the monitoring function into distributed sensor nodes deployed throughout the elevator system. Each sensor captures specific operational parameters locally, and the segmented data is aggregated and analyzed remotely. This segmentation maintains system simplicity at the component level while achieving high measurement precision through collective data analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a cloud-based data analytics platform as an intermediary between simple sensor components and predictive maintenance outcomes. The intermediary processes and analyzes data from multiple simple sensors, achieving high measurement precision and predictive capability without requiring complex local systems at each sensor location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10981750B2Prognostic analysis of elevator performance using sensors and internet of things

Publication Date: 2021.04.20 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

AI summary

A system and/or method for receiving a data capture from an elevator sensor and executing a prognostic analysis of the data capture to identify operational issues and resolutions to the operational issues. The system and/or method can further receive at least one of a verification of the operational issues and the resolutions and execute the resolutions upon verification to resolve the operational issues.