Elevator Safety Bus Communication with Priority Data Arbitration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator communication systems require separate dedicated communication arrangements for safety critical information, which increases complexity and unnecessary components, while existing solutions do not efficiently utilize the capacity of common communication buses for both safety and non-safety data transmission.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual-microcontroller system that processes and combines safety critical and non-critical data packets for transmission over a common communication bus, such as LON or CAN, allowing for efficient use of existing infrastructure without additional dedicated buses, and enabling timely and reliable safety shutdowns by identifying and prioritizing safety critical information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate dedicated communication arrangements are used for safety critical information, then reliability of safety information transmission is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines safety critical and non-safety critical communication into a single communication bus system. The microcontroller prioritizes safety information transmission by assigning higher priority to safety-related data packets, eliminating the need for separate dedicated communication arrangements while maintaining reliability through priority-based arbitration.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication bus is designed to handle multiple functions simultaneously - both safety critical and non-safety critical information transmission. The system achieves multi-functionality by implementing priority arbitration mechanisms that allow the same communication infrastructure to serve different purposes reliably.
2Reliability
If separate dedicated communication arrangements are used for safety critical information, then transmission reliability is improved, but unnecessary components are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges safety and non-safety communication functions into a single bus system, eliminating redundant communication infrastructure. By implementing priority-based arbitration at the microcontroller level, the system removes unnecessary separate communication arrangements while maintaining transmission reliability for safety-critical data.
3Device complexity
If common communication bus is used for both safety and non-safety data, then device complexity is reduced, but data transmission efficiency for safety information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic priority arbitration where the microcontroller dynamically assigns transmission priorities based on the nature of the data. Safety critical information is automatically assigned higher priority, allowing the system to adapt transmission behavior in real-time while using a single communication bus, thus maintaining efficiency without increasing complexity.
4Productivity
If priority-based transmission is implemented for safety critical information, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but existing components require re-design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements priority-based transmission by changing the operational parameters of existing communication components - specifically, by configuring the microcontroller to assign different priority levels to different types of data packets. This software-level parameter change achieves improved transmission efficiency without requiring hardware re-design or modification of existing communication infrastructure.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Elevator safety and safety related information needs to be sent reliably to safety controlling systems. Existing elevator communication devices may be used for transmitting this information by processing the received safety and safety related information and processing it before sending it over the communication bus from the elevator car or floor equipment to the controlling devices. A separate communication unit may be used for receiving and processing safety and safety related data packets before they are transmitted over a common bus used for safety and safety non-critical submission.