EP3601132B1 - Sensor network for a person transport installation - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sensor network for passenger transport systems such as elevators, escalators or moving walks. The invention also relates to a passenger transport system equipped with such a sensor network. The invention also relates to a method for determining an identity of sensors in a sensor network for a passenger transportation system and a method for retrofitting an existing passenger transportation system.

Passenger transport systems such as elevators, escalators or moving walks are used to transport people and / or goods in a building or structure from one location to another. The passenger transport system as a whole is permanently installed in the structure, but has components such as an elevator cabin that can be moved between floors or a conveyor staircase that can be moved all the way around or such a conveyor walkway, with the aid of which, for example, passengers can be transported.

In order to be able to recognize operating states of the passenger transport system and in particular any anomalies in such operating states, it can be provided to monitor operating parameters of the passenger transport system continuously or repeatedly at certain time intervals with the aid of sensors. For example, it may be necessary to know a current operating state in order to be able to control or regulate it appropriately. It can also be advantageous or necessary to identify abnormalities in the operating states at an early stage in order to be able to take measures to correct them if necessary.

In the case of an elevator, for example, it can be advantageous to monitor whether its components are functioning correctly. In particular, it can be monitored whether an elevator car can be moved correctly and / or whether elevator car doors open and close correctly, since anomalies with regard to displacement of the elevator car or with regard to a closing function of the doors can impair both the safety of the elevator system and comfort for passengers. For example, elevator car doors that do not close correctly can cause a risk for passengers to be injured by the door or by an elevator moving off in spite of the incorrectly closed door become. Alternatively, an incorrectly moving elevator car door can cause inconveniences such as, for example, annoying noises. An elevator car that cannot be correctly relocated can cause delays in the operation of the elevator system, noise or, in the worst case, even endanger passengers.

Similarly, in the case of an escalator or a moving walk, for example, incorrect shifting of steps or pallets can cause dangers or at least inconveniences, for example in the form of noise, for passengers.

In order to recognize operating states, a large number of different operating parameters can be monitored in a passenger transport system, for example with the aid of sensors. The sensors can be arranged distributed over the passenger transport system. An operating parameter here can be a physical variable which is present during the operation of the passenger transport system and which may change in the course of the operation of the passenger transport system. Operating parameters can include, for example, currently flowing or averaged electrical currents to components such as electric motors or actuators in the passenger transportation system, noises in or adjacent to the passenger transportation system, current accelerations on or within components of the passenger transportation system, temperatures in or adjacent to components of the passenger transportation system, etc. . be.

In conventional passenger transport systems, the operating parameters are mostly monitored with the help of components that have already been integrated into the passenger transport system by the manufacturer. For example, the operating parameters can be monitored in that control variables of a controller controlling the passenger transport system are monitored, in particular with regard to any anomalies. Alternatively or in addition, various sensors such as acceleration sensors, sound sensors (microphones), temperature sensors, sensors for detecting electrical or magnetic fields, etc. can be provided in the passenger transport system, with the aid of which operating parameters to be monitored can be measured. The sensors can be provided at various points within the passenger transportation system, in particular on components of the passenger transportation system that are to be monitored. Signals delivered by the sensors can be sent directly to the Passenger transport system are utilized, but they can also serve to monitor the passenger transport system from a remote location, for example from a remote control center.

In the case of older passenger transport systems in particular, it may be necessary or desirable to modernize them with regard to their safety, reliability and / or comfort. Among other things, it may be desirable to subsequently create technical prerequisites in order to be able to monitor certain operating parameters. For example, a sensor system can be retrofitted into an existing passenger transport system, which has, for example, a large number of sensors and a signal processing device or evaluation device for processing signals from the sensors, so that operating parameters can be monitored with the aid of this device and, for example, any anomalies can be detected at an early stage.

In older passenger transport systems, the various sensors provided therein are usually fixed to a central control in the form of an elevator control or a separate one. Wired evaluation device. This results in a considerable amount of wiring, especially in the case of large passenger transport systems.

In newer passenger transport systems, the various sensors are therefore no longer individually linked to the elevator control or. Wired evaluation device, but instead a signal transmission device such as a bus system is provided to which each of the sensors can be connected and via which each of the sensors can exchange signals with the elevator control or evaluation device. Alternatively, a wireless network can also serve as the signal transmission device. The sensors, together with the signal transmission device and the elevator control or evaluation device acting as a master unit, form a sensor network.

In this case, however, the problem can arise that the elevator control or evaluation device must always know from which of the sensors certain signals originate in order to be able to evaluate them in a meaningful way. Since the respective identity of the sensors can no longer be determined on the basis of their fixed individual wiring, an identity of the sensors in the sensor network must be known in advance.

For this purpose, the identity of each of the sensors contained in the sensor network is conventionally suitably established before the sensor network is put into operation. For example, each of the sensors can be given an individual identity by giving it uniquely identifiable properties such as an identification code (ID) stored in an electronic memory or a so-called “tag”. Such an ID can, for example, be specified individually on each of the sensors with the aid of appropriately adjustable microswitches or by storing it in a programmable memory. However, this requires each of the large number of sensors in the passenger transport system to be individually provided with a unique ID in advance. This can involve considerable effort, for example when producing the sensors and / or on the part of maintenance personnel who configure the passenger transport system.

JP 2014172721 A describes an example of a wireless sensor network system for an elevator installation in which manual configuration appears to be necessary.

The WO 2010/092152 A1 , WO 2005/096571 A1 , WO 2016/174718 A1 and US 2005/098390 A1 describe sensor network systems in which logical addresses and / or identifiers of the individual sensors are used to identify the sensors.

Among other things, there may be a need for a sensor network for a passenger transport system which can be provided simply, reliably, with little effort and / or inexpensively and which can be installed in the passenger transport system. Furthermore, there may be a need for a passenger transport system equipped with such a sensor network. In particular, there may be a need for a method with the aid of which the respective identity of sensors in such a network can be determined simply, reliably and / or with little effort. Furthermore, there may be a need for a method for retrofitting a passenger transport system with a sensor network that is easy to configure.

Such a need can be met by the subject matter according to one of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims and the description below.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a sensor network for a passenger transport system is proposed. The sensor network has a master unit, a signal transmission device and several sensor nodes. Each sensor node has at least one sensor, preferably a plurality of sensors, for acquiring a physical measured variable and is designed to transmit the acquired measured variable to the master unit via the signal transmission device. In order to transmit the recorded measured variable, the sensor node has in particular a so-called host, that is to say a control device. The master unit has a sensor recognition module which is designed to determine an identity of the at least one sensor of each of the sensor nodes, taking into account information previously stored in a database. The information can be from (i) a first information type with information about reference measurement results typically to be delivered by a respective sensor under previously known conditions; (ii) a second information type with information about an identity of a sensor node containing the respective sensor, the sensor node having several different sensors or several identical sensors in different configurations; and / or (iii) a third type of information with information about a predefined configuration of a sensor node accommodating the respective sensor, the sensor node having several different sensors or several identical sensors in different configurations.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a passenger transport system, in particular an elevator system, an escalator or a moving walk, is proposed which has a sensor network according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a method for determining an identity of sensors in a sensor network for a passenger transport system is proposed. The sensor network here has a master unit, a signal transmission device and several sensor nodes. Each sensor node has at least one sensor for acquiring a physical measured variable and is designed to transmit the acquired measured variable to the master unit via the signal transmission device. The method comprises determining the identity of the at least one sensor of each of the sensor nodes taking into account information previously stored in a database of (i) a first information type with information about a respective sensor under previously known conditions reference measurement results typically to be delivered; (ii) a second information type with information about an identity of a sensor node containing the respective sensor; and / or (iii) a third type of information with information about a predefined configuration of a sensor node accommodating the respective sensor.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a method for retrofitting a passenger transport system is proposed, which includes installing a sensor network according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention in the passenger transport system and determining an identity of sensors in the sensor network by means of the method according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the invention.

Possible features and advantages of embodiments of the invention can be viewed, inter alia and without restricting the invention, as being based on the ideas and findings described below.

As already noted above in the introduction, sensors have often been used in conventional passenger transport systems in order to be able to monitor current conditions within the passenger transport system by repeatedly measuring operating parameters. Either each sensor was wired individually to an elevator control or evaluation unit. Or bus systems were used in more modern passenger transport systems, via which a large number of sensors could communicate with the control or evaluation unit, although in this case each individual sensor had to be assigned a unique identification code (ID) beforehand.

The last-mentioned approach made it possible to reduce the cost of individually wiring all sensors. However, the sensors still had to be made individually distinguishable before the passenger transport system was put into operation. For this purpose, either each individual sensor had to be configured individually after it was installed in the passenger transport system, which often required considerable effort on the part of the installing staff. Or each of the sensors had to be configured in advance, for example after it was manufactured at the factory, for example by storing an ID in a memory provided therein has been programmed. However, this led to the installation personnel having to spend a considerable amount of time on logistics, since each of the previously individualized sensors had to be reliably installed at a location intended for them. A mix-up of internally different but possibly externally identical sensors then led to the fact that the elevator control or evaluation unit could no longer assign received signals sensibly, and thus no longer evaluate them sensibly, when they were installed within the passenger transport system.

Embodiments of the present invention make it possible for a sensor network on the one hand to have a large number of sensors that can communicate jointly via a signal transmission device such as a bus system with an elevator control or evaluation unit serving as a master unit, but on the other hand both the effort involved in configuring the sensors before the sensor network is put into operation, as well as an expense for logistics during the installation of the sensor network, can be kept low.

A basic idea here can be seen in equipping the master unit with a special sensor recognition module. This sensor recognition module should be able to uniquely determine an identity of each of the sensors contained in the sensor network on the basis of the information available to it.

It can be used, for example, that certain sensors within the sensor network should deliver certain measurement results under certain previously known conditions, so that different sensors contained in the sensor network can be distinguished from one another on the basis of their detected measurement results when the previously known conditions are set.

Alternatively or in addition, it can be used that each of the sensors is assigned to a sensor node, whereby individual sensor nodes can accommodate several sensors and the identity of the sensor nodes can be known to the sensor identification module in advance, so that the sensor identification module can also indirectly infer the identity of the sensors connected to it .

As a further alternative or addition, the sensor recognition module can have information about configurations of sensors incorporated therein, which are predefined in a sensor node, so that the sensor recognition module can infer the identity of the sensors incorporated therein on the basis of this configuration.

In all three variants, the sensor recognition module can independently, that is, preferably automatically, determine the identity of each of the sensors contained in the sensor network on the basis of information previously stored in a database. The information stored in the database does not directly indicate the identity of each individual sensor, but rather the information only allows an indirect conclusion to be drawn about the identity of each individual sensor. Possible information types for information stored in the database are explained in detail below.

The master unit is designed in particular as an evaluation unit that is independent of the elevator control. It is possible for the master unit to be part of the sensor network only during a configuration phase, that is to say while the configuration of the sensor network is being carried out, checked or changed. In normal operation, the sensor nodes can independently send the recorded measured variables to a remotely located monitoring device. In this case, it is possible, for example, for the master unit to be implemented by a mobile terminal, for example a mobile phone.

According to one embodiment, several of the sensors contained in the sensor network can be identical with regard to their physical configuration.

In other words, the property that the master unit contained in the proposed sensor network has the sensor recognition module, which makes it possible to draw conclusions about the identity of each individual sensor based on information previously stored therein, enables the sensors contained in the sensor network not to be due to different physical configurations must be distinguishable.

In other words, several sensors of the same sensor type to be used in the sensor network, that is to say for example several acceleration sensors which are intended to measure accelerations acting there at different positions within a passenger transport system, can be designed identically with regard to their physical configuration.

In this context, the physical configuration is to be understood as a sum of physical features of a sensor, by means of which an individual sensor could be distinguished from another sensor, for example. This can include static properties of the sensor such as its housing or fixed wiring within its circuits. But also principally variable properties such as, for example, changeable settings of microswitches provided on a sensor or changeable microscopic structures within a memory provided in the sensor. In other words, sensors within the sensor network can be identical both with regard to their static physical configuration and with regard to their possibly variable physical configuration.

This is made possible because in the sensor network proposed here, the individual physical configuration of one of the sensors is not required in order to be able to recognize the identity of the sensor. Accordingly, several sensors of one sensor type can be designed identically with regard to their static physical configuration, that is to say, for example, the components contained in a sensor can be identical with regard to their structural configuration. Even in the event that variable physical configurations are also provided in a sensor type, such as microswitches or a variably programmable electronic memory, these can be identical in terms of their macroscopic or microscopic physical configuration during operation of the sensor network, i.e. the microswitches can be identical It can be switched or the memories can be programmed in the same way, since these variable physical configurations are not required to determine the identity of a respective sensor.

The possibility of being able to design several sensors identically within a sensor network enables, on the one hand, simplified production of standardized ones Sensors. On the other hand, the installation or configuration of the sensor network can be simplified, since any desired individual sensor of a sensor type can be installed at any point where such a sensor type is to be provided within a sensor network, without having to take into account the individual identities of the respective sensor . This can considerably reduce logistics expenditure or configuration expenditure.
According to one embodiment, the signal transmission device of the sensor network can be a bus system to which a plurality of sensor nodes can be connected and via which each of the plurality of sensor nodes can transmit signals generated by its sensors to the master unit.

In other words, a bus system to which each of the sensor nodes is connected can be used for signal transmission between the individual sensors and the master unit, so that each of the sensors contained in a sensor node can exchange signals with the master unit via its assigned sensor node and the bus system connected to it . Thus, each sensor can both transmit its own signals to the master unit and, for example, receive control signals from the master unit. The bus system can be wired or wireless. The bus system can transmit signals between the master unit and a large number of sensors. In particular, in a wired bus system, no individual wiring needs to be provided for each individual sensor, rather several sensors can communicate with the master unit via shared wiring. After being able to assign the identity of each individual sensor connected to the bus system with its sensor recognition module, the master unit can assign the signals received via the bus system individually to each sensor and thus process them sensibly. The bus system can also be designed as a wireless network.

According to one embodiment, the identity of a sensor can include information about its installation location within the passenger transport system.

In other words, it can be advantageous that the master unit does not, or at least not necessarily, infer a physical configuration of the sensor by determining the identity of each sensor with the aid of its sensor recognition module can, but rather can determine at which position within the sensor network or within the passenger transport system this sensor is arranged. Depending on where the sensor is arranged within the passenger transportation system, it can be used to monitor different local physical states within the passenger transportation system. For example, acceleration sensors, which are designed identically with regard to their physical configurations, but which are used at different positions within the passenger transportation system, can measure different states within the passenger transportation system. Since the master unit can recognize the identity of a sensor and thus information about its installation location within the passenger transport system, it can meaningfully evaluate the signals supplied by this sensor.

According to one embodiment, the master unit can have a data memory, preferably an electronic data memory, in which the information stored in the database is stored.

In other words, the information that the sensor identification module of the master unit needs in order to be able to determine the identity of each of the sensors contained in the various sensor nodes can be stored in a database which is stored in a data memory present in the master unit. The data memory can be, for example, a programmable electronic data memory such as a flash memory, a PROM, an EPROM, a RAM or the like.

Alternatively, instead of storing the database provided with information directly in a data memory within the master unit, provision can also be made to store such a database in an external data memory, for example in a data cloud, and to call up the required information therefrom from the sensor recognition module if required allow.

In the following, the three types of information, based on which information the sensor recognition module can infer the identity of a sensor, as well as ways in which the sensor recognition module can then infer the identity of a sensor based on this information, are explained in more detail.

The first type of information includes information about reference measurement results typically to be delivered by a respective sensor under previously known conditions. In this case, the sensor recognition module can recognize the identity of a sensor by operating the sensor under the previously known conditions mentioned and then comparing the signals supplied by the sensor with the known reference measurement signals. Depending on which of a plurality of reference measurement results stored in the database the actual measurement results of the sensor match or at least correlate within certain tolerances, conclusions can be drawn about the identity and thus, for example, about an actual installation location of a sensor. In particular, the sensor recognition module knows what type of sensor the sensor in question is, for example an acceleration sensor, a sound sensor (microphone) or a temperature sensor.

In this case, the previously known conditions can be, for example, certain operating conditions within the passenger transport system. The reference measurement results that are typically to be supplied can be those measurement results that a certain type of sensor supplies when, for example, it is installed at a certain installation location within the passenger transport system and supplies measurement results under the previously known conditions.

According to one embodiment, in the case of the first information type, the master unit can be designed to, during an initialization process during which the passenger transport system is caused to adopt the previously known conditions, measured values actually delivered by the sensors contained in the sensor network with the previously in the database for each of the To compare sensor-specific stored reference measurement results and to determine the identity of the respective sensor based on them.

In other words, the first type of information can contain information about which measurement results each of a plurality of sensors in the passenger transport system delivers when it is operated under certain previously known conditions. These measurement results are stored in the database as reference measurement results. The Reference measurement results can, for example, already be determined in a planning phase of a passenger transportation system and / or during or directly after the manufacture of the passenger transportation system, for example by experiments and / or by simulations.

For example, it can be determined in advance for each of the sensors to be included in a sensor network how it behaves under standardized, previously known conditions, that is to say which measurement results it should deliver under these conditions. If these conditions are later reproduced during an initialization process after the sensor network has been installed in a passenger transport system, conclusions can be drawn about the identity of each individual sensor, in particular its installation location within the passenger transport system, based on the signals supplied by the various sensors. Measurement results actually delivered by the sensors during the initialization process are then compared with the reference measurement results previously specifically stored in the database for each of the sensors.

In principle, it may be sufficient not to determine reference measurement results in advance for all of the sensors built into the sensor network and to store them in the database, but rather to hold such information about reference measurement results for at least one sensor for each of the sensor nodes contained in the sensor network. If this allows conclusions to be drawn about the identity of this respective sensor, then indirectly about the identity of the sensor node and thus further indirectly about the identity of further sensors provided in this sensor node.

According to a specific embodiment it can be provided, for example, that during the initialization process the passenger transport system is caused to move a passenger conveyor unit such as an elevator car of an elevator system, a step belt of an escalator or a pallet belt of a moving walk as part of a test drive in a predetermined manner along a conveyor path . In this case, the master unit can be designed to record current accelerations measured by acceleration sensors contained in the sensor nodes and based on a comparison of these measured current accelerations Accelerations with previously determined reference measurement results to determine the identity of the acceleration sensor recording the current accelerations.

In other words, even before the passenger transportation system is put into operation, i.e. before the initialization process is carried out, it can be determined how each of a plurality of acceleration sensors would have to behave within the passenger transportation system, i.e. which measurement results it would have to deliver if the passenger transportation system were to perform a test drive in a predetermined one Manner is operated in which a passenger conveyor unit is displaced in a fixed pattern along a conveyor path. Corresponding reference measurement results can be determined, for example, for an acceleration sensor that is provided on the passenger conveyor unit and is moved along with it. However, it is also possible to determine corresponding reference measurement results for other acceleration sensors which are provided, for example, on a drive unit, a suspension fixed point or on other components that typically move during the operation of the passenger transport system. Since the various components of the passenger transport system move significantly differently during the test drive and therefore the acceleration sensors provided on them provide significantly different measurement results, the different acceleration sensors can, if these measurement results were previously determined as reference measurement results, during an initialization process to be carried out later by comparing the then actually measured current accelerations can be identified with the reference measurement results.

The second type of information contains information about an identity of a sensor node containing the respective sensor. In other words, unlike the first information type, the second information type does not contain information that characterizes the properties of the respective sensor itself, but rather information that characterizes not the identity of the sensor itself, but rather the identity of the sensor node containing the respective sensor. A sensor node contains several sensors, and a single sensor node does not contain two identical sensors in the same configuration, but rather several different sensors or several identical sensors in different configurations. When the sensor identification module has information about the identity of a Can have sensor node, it can indirectly also determine information about identities, in particular installation locations, of the sensors incorporated therein.

For example, the sensor recognition module can determine the specific type of sensor based on the sensor data supplied by this sensor and, for example, determine an installation location of this sensor within the passenger transport system based on the identity of the sensor node comprising this sensor.

According to one embodiment, in the case of the second information type, the master unit is designed to determine the identity of a respective sensor based on a comparison of an identity signal transmitted by the sensor node having the sensor with reference data previously stored in the database.

In other words, the sensor recognition module provided in the master unit can receive an identity signal from a respective sensor node contained in the passenger transport system and compare this with reference data previously stored in the database. The reference data can, for example, provide information about the installation location at which the sensor node provided with the identity signal is installed within the passenger transport system. If it was possible to infer the identity of the respective sensor node by comparing the transmitted identity signal with previously stored reference data, then indirectly it is also possible to infer the identities of the various sensors provided in this sensor node.

According to a specific embodiment, it can be provided that a sensor node, due to its design, can only be installed at a configuration-based, predetermined position within the passenger transport system. Each sensor node can have an identity transmission unit, which can transmit the identity signal specific for the sensor node to the master unit or its sensor recognition module. The master unit or the sensor recognition module provided therein can in this case be designed to identify the position at which a sensor is installed within the passenger transport system based on a comparison of the identity signal transmitted by the identity transmission unit of the sensor node to determine the reference data previously stored in the database, which indicate the configuration-based predetermined position within the passenger transport system.

In other words, when planning a sensor network for a passenger transport system, it is possible, for example, to determine at which position, that is to say at which installation location, a specific sensor node is to be installed within the passenger transport system. So that the respective sensor node is actually installed in this position, it can be provided that it can only be installed in this position, which is predetermined according to the configuration, due to its design.

For example, the sensor node can have a housing with a unique geometry and a corresponding housing receptacle with a matching complementary geometry can be provided in the passenger transport system, so that the respective sensor node can only be installed in the position predetermined for this purpose. Alternatively, for example, the housing of a sensor node can be equipped with a unique screw connection pattern, so that it can only be screwed to a housing counterpart in the passenger transport system that is appropriately equipped with a suitable screw connection pattern.

Each sensor node should have its own identity transmission unit. This identity transmission unit can transmit the identity signal specific for the sensor node to the master unit or its sensor recognition module. For example, an identity transmission unit can be a so-called “tag”, for example an RFID tag, which can transmit an identity signal that is unique for the sensor node. The identity transmission unit can also send the identity signal, which is unique for the sensor node, to the sensor recognition module via the signal transmission device. The information as to which identity signal a certain sensor node provided for installation at a configuration-based, predetermined position has, can be stored in advance in the database that can be called up by the sensor recognition module. For example, such information can already be planned when planning the passenger transport system.

As part of an initialization process, the sensor recognition module of the master unit can then, on the basis of a comparison of the identity signal transmitted by a sensor node with the reference data previously stored in the database, infer the identity of the sensor node sending the identity signal and, since this sensor node can only be installed in its predefined position according to the configuration , so that inferences can be made indirectly about the predetermined position of the sensor within the passenger transport system.

The third type of information includes information about a predefined configuration of a sensor node accommodating the respective sensor. This third type of information therefore does not directly contain information regarding the identity of a specific sensor itself, but only with regard to a predefined configuration of a sensor node that contains this sensor same configuration, but several different sensors or several identical sensors in different configurations are included.

It is assumed that, for example, as part of the planning of a passenger transportation system, it is already determined in advance which sensor node is to be equipped with which sensors at which position within the passenger transportation system in order to be able to sensibly measure the state parameters of the passenger transportation system there. Since the information about such a configuration is thus known in advance, it can already be stored in the database to be called up by the sensor recognition module. This can already happen at a point in time at which it is not yet known which specific sensors are to be installed in the sensor node. In other words, it may already be known that, for example, a temperature sensor, an acceleration sensor and a sound sensor should be installed in the sensor node, but it does not yet need to be known which specific type of acceleration sensor, for example, is to be used.

The identity of the sensor node can be inferred later, for example during an initialization process, solely from the knowledge of which configuration a sensor node should have within the passenger transport system. For example, signals that have been transmitted from the sensor node to the master unit can be analyzed in order to identify which types of sensors are contained in the relevant sensor node. By comparing this information with the predefined configuration, the identity of the sensor node can be ascertained can be inferred and from this, in turn, indirectly on the identity of the sensors contained therein.

According to one embodiment, in the case of the third information type, the predefined configuration can include information about a configuration-related type and number of sensors contained in one of the sensor nodes. In this case, the master unit can be designed to derive a conclusion about the actual type and number of sensors contained in the sensor node from measurement results actually transmitted by a sensor node and to determine the identity of a respective sensor based on a comparison of the derived actual type and number of in to determine the sensors contained in the sensor node with the information specified in the predefined configuration about the type and number of sensors contained in one of the sensor nodes according to the configuration.

In other words, it can already be determined when planning a passenger transport system which sensor node should contain which type and number of sensors, since, for example, a specification sheet stipulates which operating states are to be measured with a sensor node provided at a certain installation location. Before the sensor network is put into operation, it is possible, for example, in an initialization process from the actual signals supplied by a sensor node to deduce which type and number of sensors are contained in this sensor node and to compare these with the information previously stored in the database. The identity of the sensor node and thus of the sensors it contains can thus be clearly determined.

It should be noted that some of the possible features and advantages of the invention are described herein with reference to different embodiments. In particular, some features and advantages are described with reference to a sensor network or a passenger transport system equipped therewith and some features with reference to a method for determining an identity of sensors in a sensor network. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the features can be combined, transferred, adapted or interchanged in a suitable manner in order to arrive at further embodiments of the invention. The scope of protection of the invention is determined by the appended claims.

Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, neither the drawing nor the description being to be construed as restricting the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a passenger transport system in the form of an elevator with a sensor network according to the invention for monitoring operating parameters.

The figure is only schematic and not true to scale.

Figure 1 shows a passenger transport system 1 in the form of an elevator system 2. The elevator system 2 comprises an elevator car 5 and a counterweight 7, which can be shifted in an elevator shaft with the aid of ropes or belts 9 which are driven by a drive machine 11. The elevator car 5 has a car door 13. Furthermore, several shaft doors 15 are provided on the elevator shaft. Operation of the elevator installation 2 and in particular the drive machine 11 as well as the car door 13 and the shaft doors 15 is controlled with the aid of an elevator control 16.

In order to be able to recognize currently prevailing operating states in the elevator system 2, in order to be able to control the elevator system appropriately and / or in particular to be able to detect anomalies in the elevator system 2, a sensor network 3 is provided in the elevator system. The sensor network 3 has several sensor nodes 19 distributed over the elevator system 2. Each of the sensor nodes 19 has at least one sensor 21, but mostly several different sensors 21 (shown as an example for the sensor node 19 located on the shaft door 15) and is controlled with the aid of the Sensors 21 designed to detect certain operating parameters in the elevator system 2 at or in the vicinity of an installation location of the respective sensor node 19.

Each of the sensor nodes 19 is connected to a master unit 35 via a bus system serving as a signal transmission device 17, so that the sensors 21 contained in the sensor nodes 19 can transmit their measurement results in the form of, for example, electrical or electromagnetic signals to the master unit 35 and / or vice versa to the master unit 35 can control an operation of the sensors 21 by transmitting control signals.

For example, an elevator car sensor node 27 can be arranged on the elevator car 5. This can, for example, have one or more sensors, in particular acceleration sensors, sound sensors, temperature sensors and / or sensors that detect electrical or magnetic fields, with the aid of which accelerations acting on the elevator car 5, noises occurring there, temperatures and / or fields prevailing there, etc. can be captured. The elevator car sensor node 27 can furthermore comprise a camera arrangement 31 with the aid of which, for example, an interior space in the elevator car 5 or parts of the elevator shaft in the vicinity of the elevator car can be observed.

Furthermore, a prime mover sensor node 23 can be arranged on the prime mover 11. This can contain, for example, sensors 21, with the aid of which electrical current flows fed to the drive machine 11, accelerations acting on the drive machine 11, for example in the form of vibrations, temperatures prevailing at the drive machine 11, noises occurring at the drive machine 11 and / or near the drive machine 11 prevailing electric and / or magnetic fields etc. can be measured.

Furthermore, a car door sensor node 29 can be arranged on the car door 13. By means of suitable sensors 21, this can measure accelerations acting on the car door 13, noises occurring there, etc., for example.

Similarly, a shaft door sensor node 25 can be arranged on each of the shaft doors 15. This can, for example, detect accelerations acting on the landing door 15, noises occurring there, etc.

A fixation sensor node (not shown) can be provided on a fixation of the straps 9. The belts 9 can optionally be suspended elastically resiliently via the fixation on statically fixed structures within a building, wherein, for example, acceleration sensors attached to the fixation can provide information about movements of the fixation.

The various sensor nodes 19 with their sensors 21 can send signals containing information about the operating parameters detected by them to the Transmit master unit 35. The signals received can be suitably processed and / or evaluated there in order to obtain information about the currently prevailing conditions within the elevator system 2.

If necessary, the signals received can be sent via a data communication device 33 to a remotely arranged monitoring device 37 before or after their processing or evaluation. The monitoring device 37 can, for example, be set up in a monitoring center in which, for example, the manufacturer of the passenger transport system 1 can monitor its function remotely.

However, so that the master unit 35 can meaningfully evaluate the received signals, it must know from which of the many sensors 21 a respective signal was sent. In other words, the master unit 35 must know the identity of a sensor 21 in order to be able to correctly process and / or evaluate the signals received from it.

For this purpose, the master unit 35 has a sensor identification module 39. The sensor identification module 39 can exchange signals with each of the sensor nodes 19 via the signal transmission device 17. Furthermore, the sensor recognition module 39 can query information from a database which is stored, for example, in a data memory 41 within the master unit 35. The sensor recognition module 39 is set up to be able to determine an identity, in particular an installation location, of the sensors 21 connected in the sensor network 3 and to be able to make this information available to a data processing unit 43 so that it can meaningfully evaluate the signals received from the sensors 21 .

In a first possible embodiment, the data recognition module can determine the identity of a sensor 21 on the basis of measurement results measured by this sensor 21 under certain previously known conditions.

For this purpose, information about reference measurement results typically to be delivered by the respective sensor 21 under the previously known conditions is stored in the database as the first information type. These measurement results can, for example, already be determined during a planning phase or an adjustment phase, for example based on experiments and / or simulations. After the sensor network 3 has been installed in the passenger transportation system 1, an initialization process can then be carried out, during which the passenger transportation system 1 is operated in a targeted manner under the previously known conditions. The measurement results actually delivered by the sensors 21 are then compared with the reference measurement results previously stored in the database. Based on such a comparison, conclusions can be drawn about the identity of a respective sensor 21.

In a specific example, for example, acceleration sensors can be provided both in the cabin sensor node 27 and in the cabin door sensor node 29, the shaft door sensor node 25 and the drive machine sensor node 23 or a fixation sensor node in order to be able to react to the respective components or To be able to measure accelerations acting on components currently In actual operation, for example during a test drive, of the elevator installation 2, very different accelerations act on the various components. In particular, for example, the accelerations acting on the car 5 are generally significantly higher than, for example, the accelerations acting on the drive machine 11 or the fixing of the belts 9. For example, it can be determined in advance which accelerations should typically occur on the various components during a test drive. By then comparing the accelerations actually measured at the various sensors 21 with the previously determined reference measurement results during a test drive carried out during the initialization process, conclusions can be drawn about the identity of the various acceleration sensors, i.e. in the specific case their installation location.

The actual measurement results can be compared directly with the reference measurement results and any permissible tolerances taken into account. Alternatively, a kind of ranking or sequence of the various measured sensor signals can also be used in the context of the comparison with the reference measurement results to assign the identities of the sensors 21. This means, for example, that the greatest measured acceleration can be assigned to the sensor 21 on the elevator car 5, whereas, for example, significantly smaller measured accelerations can be assigned to the sensor 21 at the fixing point for the belts 9.

According to a second embodiment, it can be provided that for each sensor node 19 it is known in advance at which position, that is to say at which installation location, it is to be installed in the passenger transport system 1.
For example, the sensor nodes 19 can be designed in such a way that, for example, due to the shape of a sensor node housing 47, the sensor node 19 can only be installed at precisely one point within the passenger transport system 1. Instead of the shape of the sensor node housing 47, a pattern of screw-on points 49 can also be specified individually for each sensor node 19. In the figure, three sensor nodes 19 with sensor node housings 47 of different geometries are shown by way of example, ie in the example shown with a triangular, square or semicircular sensor node housing 47. Additionally or alternatively, the patterns of the screw points 49 with differently arranged screw points 49 and / or with different numbers of screw points 49 be formed. Each sensor node can transmit measured signals from the sensors 21 connected to it to the master unit 35 and, if necessary, also directly to the controller 17, by wire or wirelessly.

Each sensor node 19 has an identity transmission unit 45, with the aid of which the sensor node 19 can transmit a specific identity signal to the master unit 35. The identity transmission unit 45 can, for example, be a simple multiple microswitch in which a pattern of switching states uniquely identifies the position or identity of the sensor node 19. Alternatively, the identity transmission unit 45 can be a more complex electronic component such as a tag, an EEPROM or an RFID / NFC. The identity transmission unit 45 can, for example, transmit the identity signal when the system is started and thus communicate to the master unit 35 the information about the installation location at which the respective sensor node 19 is installed.

In this special embodiment, the second type of information stored in the database is thus provided with information about the identity of a sensor node 19 containing the respective sensor 21. If, for example, as part of an initialization process, the identity signal transmitted by the identity transmitter unit 45 of the sensor node 19 with the reference data previously stored in the database, which indicates the position of the sensor node 19 within the predetermined configuration according to the configuration the passenger transport system 1 is compared, the information about the actual identity or the actual installation location of each of the sensor nodes 19 and thus also each of the sensors 21 can be derived therefrom.

In such an embodiment, the sensor nodes 19 and their sensor node housings 47 can advantageously already be assembled at the factory and a maintenance technician only needs to install the sensor node housings 47 at the predetermined installation locations.

In a third embodiment, the third type of information to be stored in the database can contain information about a predefined configuration of a sensor node 19 that accommodates the respective sensor 21.

In this embodiment, the information that is required by the sensor recognition module 39 in order to be able to recognize the sensor nodes 19 is already available in a configuration or planning phase of the passenger transport system 1. This information about the configuration of the passenger transport system 1 and in particular about the sensor network 3 to be provided therein can be used later, i.e. for example during an initialization process, in order to be able to determine the identity of the sensor nodes 19 and thus the built-in sensors 21.

One way of configuring a passenger transport system is roughly described below:
In a sensor network 3, each sensor node 19, ie a combination of a host and one or more sensors 21, supplies specific data such as acceleration data at a detection rate of, for example, 100 Hz. The sensor network 3 includes several sensor nodes 19. A sensor node 19 includes a host Module and various sensors 21 attached thereto, for example in the form of modular hardware. When planning the passenger transportation system 1, various monitoring objectives are defined, that is to say properties which are to be repeatedly monitored within the passenger transportation system 1, for example during its operation. For this purpose, for example, a ride quality of the elevator car 5 and / or the car doors 13 count. The functions and the parameters to be monitored for the sensor nodes 19 to be provided on the respective component of the passenger transport system 1 can be determined on the basis of such monitoring objectives. A configuration specifying this, that is to say a type of specification sheet, contains, among other things, information about the number and types of sensors 21 (for example accelerometers) and their installation locations (for example on the LDU (Landing Door Unit), on a belt fixation, on the Elevator car 5, etc.), as well as possibly further mandatory or optional parameters (such as a detection rate of 100 Hz).

While the monitoring objectives to be achieved or the monitoring functions to be used for this purpose are known at the time of the configuration of the passenger transport system 1, the specific hardware, that is to say the specific devices that are used for this purpose, do not yet need to be known. A mechanism is therefore required in order to be able to compare the already defined functions that are to be implemented by the sensor nodes 19 with the hardware that is actually installed. In addition, in the case of modular hardware, it is not already known in advance at which installation location within the passenger transport system 1 a specific device will be installed.

It is therefore proposed to use the sensor recognition module 39 of the master unit 35 to carry out a method in which the previously defined monitoring targets are compared with the devices actually installed, in particular the sensors 21 actually installed.

For this purpose, the previously established configuration can be stored in advance in the database as information about a configuration-related type and number of sensors 21 contained in one of the sensor nodes 19. The sensor recognition module 39 can then, during an initialization process, actually analyze measurement results transmitted by a sensor node 19 to determine which type and number of sensors 21 are contained in the relevant sensor node 19. This information can then be compared with the information stored in the database in order to derive the identity of the respective sensor node 19, and thus of the sensors 21 contained therein, therefrom.

With the aid of the sensor network 3 presented here or a method to be carried out in this for determining an identity of sensors 21 accommodated therein, the identity of the sensors 21 can be determined automatically. A modular sensor hardware can preferably be installed at any point within the passenger transport system 1. Hardware of the sensor nodes 19 can also be exchangeable. The sensor-based monitoring hardware in a passenger transport system 1 can thus be installed flexibly, easily and / or quickly, and installation effort in the field can be reduced. Identities and in particular installation locations of potentially structurally identical sensors 21 can be determined automatically in the sensor network 3, which can simplify the installation of the sensor network 3 and help to avoid errors.

Finally, it should be pointed out that terms such as “having”, “comprising”, etc. do not exclude any other elements or steps and that terms such as “a” or “an” do not exclude a multitude. It should also be pointed out that features or steps that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be regarded as limiting. The scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. Sensor network (3) for a passenger transport installation (1), the sensor network (3) comprising:

   a master unit (35);

   a signal transmission means (17); and

   a plurality of sensor nodes (19);

   each sensor node (19) comprising at least one sensor (21) for detecting a physical measured variable and being designed to transmit the detected measured variable to the master unit (35) by means of the signal transmission means (17);

   the master unit (35) comprising a sensor detection module (39) which is designed to determine an identity of the at least one sensor (21) of each of the sensor nodes (19) by taking into account information previously stored in a database,

   characterized in that

   the information previously stored in a database are

   (i) a first type of information comprising information about reference measurement results to be typically provided by a particular sensor (21) under known conditions,

   (ii) a second type of information comprising information about an identity of a sensor node (19) containing the particular sensor (21), the sensor node (19) comprising a plurality of different sensors (21) or a plurality of the same sensors (21) in different configurations, and/or

   (iii) a third type of information comprising information about a pre-established configuration of a sensor node (19) accommodating the particular sensor (21), the sensor node (19) comprising a plurality of different sensors (21) or a plurality of the same sensors (21) in different configurations.
2. Sensor network according to claim 1, wherein, in the case of the first type of information, the master unit (35) is designed, during an initialization process in which the passenger transport installation (1) is prompted to assume the known conditions, to compare measurement results actually provided by sensors (21) contained in the sensor network (3) with the reference measurement results previously specifically stored in the database for each of the sensors (21) and to determine, on the basis thereof, the identity of a particular sensor (21).
3. Sensor network according to claim 2, wherein the master unit (35) is designed, during the initialization process in which the passenger transport installation (1) is prompted to move a passenger conveyor unit (5) in a predetermined manner along a conveying path as part of a test run, to record current accelerations measured by acceleration sensors contained in the sensor nodes (19) and to determine the identity of the acceleration sensor recording the measured current accelerations on the basis of a comparison of these measured current accelerations with the reference measurement results.
4. Sensor network according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, in the case of the second type of information, the master unit (35) is designed to determine the identity of a particular sensor (21) on the basis of a comparison of an identity signal transmitted by the sensor node (19) comprising the sensor (21) with reference data stored in advance in the database.
5. Sensor network according to claim 4, wherein a sensor node (19), on account of its design, can be installed only at a configurationally predetermined position within the passenger transport installation (1), wherein each sensor node (19) comprises an identity transmitting unit (45), which transmits the identity signal specific to the sensor node (19) to the master unit (35), and wherein the master unit (35) is designed to determine the position at which a sensor (21) is installed within the passenger transport installation (1) on the basis of a comparison of the identity signal transmitted by the identity transmitting unit of the sensor node (19) with the reference data previously stored in advance in the database, which data indicate the configurationally predetermined position within the passenger transport installation (1).
6. Sensor network according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, in the case of the third type of information, the pre-established configuration includes information about a configuration-appropriate type and number of sensors (21) contained in one of the sensor nodes (19), and wherein the master unit (35) is designed to derive an actual type and number of sensors (21) contained in the sensor node (19) from measurement results actually transmitted by a sensor node (19), and to determine the identity of a particular sensor (21) on the basis of a comparison of the derived actual type and number of sensors (21) contained in the sensor node (19) with the information indicated in the pre-established configuration about the configuration-appropriate type and number of sensors (21) contained in one of the sensor nodes (19).
7. Sensor network according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of the sensors (21) contained in the sensor network (3) are identical in terms of their physical design.
8. Sensor network according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the signal transmission means (17) is a bus system to which a plurality of sensor nodes (19) can be connected and by means of which each of the plurality of sensor nodes (19) can direct signals generated by the sensors (21) thereof to the master unit (35).
9. Sensor network according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the identity of a sensor (21) includes information about its installation location within the passenger transport installation (1).
10. Sensor network according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the master unit (35) further comprises a data memory (41) in which the information previously stored in the database is stored.
11. Passenger transport installation (1), in particular an elevator installation, escalator or moving walkway, comprising a sensor network (3) according to any of claims 1 to 10.
12. Method for determining an identity of sensors (21) in a sensor network (3) for a passenger transport installation (1), the sensor network (3) comprising:

    a master unit (35);

    a signal transmission means (17); and

    a plurality of sensor nodes (19);

    each sensor node (19) comprising at least one sensor (21) for detecting a physical measured variable and being designed to transmit the detected measured variable to the master unit (35) by means of the signal transmission means (17);

    the method comprising:

    determining the identity of the at least one sensor (21) of each of the sensor nodes (19) by taking into account information previously stored in a database,

    characterized in that

    the information previously stored in a database are

    (i) a first type of information comprising information about reference measurement results to be typically provided by a particular sensor (21) under known conditions,

    (ii) a second type of information comprising information about an identity of a sensor node (19) containing the particular sensor (21), the sensor node (19) comprising a plurality of different sensors (21) or a plurality of the same sensors (21) in different configurations, and/or

    (iii) a third type of information comprising information about a pre-established configuration of a sensor node (19) accommodating the particular sensor (21), the sensor node (19) comprising a plurality of different sensors (21) or a plurality of the same sensors (21) in different configurations.
13. Method for retrofitting a passenger transport installation (1), comprising:

    installing a sensor network (3) according to any of claims 1 to 10 in the passenger transport installation (1); and

    determining an identity of sensors (21) in the sensor network (3) by means of the method according to claim 12.

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