Wireless Elevator Communication Bridges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional elevator systems require heavy and costly communication cables for reliable low-latency communication, which increases power consumption and weight as building height increases, posing challenges for high-rise buildings and ropeless elevator systems.
Innovation Solution
A self-propelled elevator system utilizing wireless communication bridges and transceivers between elevator cars and drives, allowing for reliable short-range communication with high bandwidth and low latency, eliminating the need for heavy cables and enabling efficient movement control within the hoistway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated wired communication cables are used for elevator control, then communication reliability and low latency are improved, but system weight and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wired communication system with a wireless communication system using transceivers and communication protocols. The transceiver in the elevator car communicates wirelessly with controllers in the shaft, eliminating the need for physical communication cables that move with the car, thereby reducing weight and power consumption while maintaining communication functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wireless communication bridges as intermediary devices installed in the shaft to relay communication signals between the elevator car and the control system. These bridges establish wireless communication links that eliminate the need for heavy moving cables while ensuring reliable signal transmission throughout the hoistway.
2Reliability
If communication cables are suspended in the shaft and move with the elevator car, then reliable communication is achieved, but cable weight and cost increase significantly with building height
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable-based communication system with wireless communication using transceivers. The transceiver in the elevator car communicates wirelessly with controllers and communication bridges in the shaft, eliminating the need for physical cables that move with the car, thereby completely removing cable weight from the moving components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the communication function from the mechanical cable system and implements it through wireless transceivers and communication protocols. This separation removes the heavy cable infrastructure from the moving elevator car while maintaining communication reliability through wireless links established by transceivers and communication bridges.
3Reliability
If heavy communication cables are used for high-rise buildings, then communication coverage is improved, but installation complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical cable installation system with wireless communication infrastructure. Communication bridges are installed at fixed locations in the shaft, and transceivers are installed in elevator cars, eliminating the need for complex cable routing and connection work. This wireless approach significantly simplifies installation and reduces maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the communication system into discrete modular components: transceivers in elevator cars, communication bridges at fixed shaft locations, and controllers. This segmentation allows for independent installation, configuration, and maintenance of each component, greatly simplifying the overall system deployment and reducing installation complexity compared to a continuous cable system.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-propelled elevator system includes a hoistway (11) including a plurality of drives (40), wherein each of the plurality of drives includes a stationary portion (16) of a propulsion system and a controller (30) configured to operate the stationary portion of the propulsion system. The propelled elevator system also includes an elevator car ((14), 42) comprising a processor (44) and a transceiver (48), wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with the controllers of one or more of the plurality of drives that are adjacent to the elevator car and one or more sensors (46) disposed on the elevator car, wherein the processor is configured to receive signals from the one or more sensors. The processor is configured to control a movement of the elevator car within the hoistway.