Elevator Car Self-Diagnosis Using Shared Operational Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator maintenance requires significant human intervention, which is time-consuming and costly, especially for systems that are functioning properly.
Innovation Solution
An elevator system equipped with self-diagnostic capabilities, allowing individual cars to perform routine diagnostics during idle times, collect operational data, analyze it with neighboring cars, and automatically address faults or notify maintenance when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If periodic mechanic maintenance checks are performed on elevator systems, then system reliability is maintained, but time and cost resources are consumed unnecessarily for systems that are functioning properly
Solution Approach 1:
The elevator system performs self-diagnosis through onboard sensors and controllers that continuously monitor operational parameters. Each elevator car collects data about its own components (motors, doors, cables, etc.) and compares it against predetermined thresholds to identify potential failures before they occur, eliminating the need for periodic mechanic visits to functioning systems
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensor data from elevator operations is constantly monitored and analyzed. When parameters deviate from normal ranges, the system generates alerts and notifies maintenance personnel, allowing intervention only when actually needed rather than through scheduled periodic checks
2Reliability
If frequent mechanic visits are scheduled for elevator maintenance, then potential issues are identified early, but operational time and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Elevator cars autonomously monitor their own health status through integrated sensors that track motor temperature, vibration, door operation forces, cable tension, and other critical parameters. The system performs self-assessment and identifies anomalies without requiring external inspection, allowing elevators to operate continuously without scheduled downtime for checks
Solution Approach 2:
The diagnostic system detects and flags potential failures before they manifest as actual problems. By continuously analyzing operational data against established thresholds, the system identifies early signs of component degradation and schedules maintenance only when necessary, preventing issues before they affect operation
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive diagnostic routines are executed by elevator cars, then fault detection accuracy is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The diagnostic system is divided into modular components with specific sensors for different elevator subsystems (motor monitoring, door operation sensors, cable tension detectors, vibration sensors). Each sensor package focuses on collecting data for a specific component, and the controller processes only the relevant data for that component, reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining comprehensive coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The elevator controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it manages normal elevator operation, collects data from various sensors, analyzes operational parameters, and generates maintenance alerts. This multi-functional approach consolidates diagnostic capabilities into existing hardware rather than requiring separate dedicated diagnostic systems, managing complexity through integration
Data Source
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AI summary
An elevator system (101) having elevator cars (103) in a building (130), the system having: a first elevator car (103A) of the elevator cars configured to execute a self-diagnostic routine, wherein the first elevator car is configured to: instruct a subset (180) of the elevator cars to enter an idle mode and analyze data shared by the first elevator car; process the operational data among the subset of the elevator cars; process the operational data among the subset of the elevator cars; collect operational data; share the operational data among the subset of the elevator cars; receive from the subset of the elevator cars an analysis of the operational data that is indicative of an operational state of the first elevator car; determine that a fault condition exists when the operational state is outside a threshold; and automatically execute a predetermined response upon when the first elevator car determines that the fault condition exists.