BACKGROUND ART In general, one or more lifting equipments such as elevators or escalators are installed in a tall apartment or building.

Recently, a CCTV is installed at a specific location in a building so that a supervisor may monitor internal situation of the building for security and preservation.

Specially, in case of buildings equipped with elevators, a dedicated CCTV system is usually adopted to the elevators considering likelihood that the passenger may be trapped in the closed space of the elevator when an accident or a malfunction occurs.

In this case, the CCTV installed in the elevator is connected through a coaxial cable to a monitor in a central control room.

When the building is equipped with a plurality of elevators having the CCTV, an equipment is required for collecting several images transferred through a plurality of cameras and suitably distributing and displaying the same to the respective monitors.

If necessary, the images from the cameras may be recorded on media such as tapes or digital storage devices for security.

Hereinafter, such a general elevator security system is described with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of a general elevator system.

Referring to FIG. 1, a security camera 2 is installed in an elevator 1, and a coaxial cable 3 for transferring image signals pictured by the security camera 2 is connected to a distributor/recorder 6 of a control room 5 through a machine room 4 for lifting the elevator 1, and then to a security monitor 7.

In the general elevator system, a supervisor monitors movement of passengers in the elevator by the images received from the security camera 2, and also monitors an operation of the elevator by a separate supervisory panel.

In the conventional elevator system described above, a supervisor may check movement of passengers in the elevator by watching the images on the security monitor transferred from the security camera, while a state of elevators may be just assumed from the features of passengers appearing on the monitor or vibrations of the camera.

In addition, there is a problem that the conventional elevator security system may not provide information such as a movement state or a door state of the elevator.

Moreover, when the elevator is out of order, site inspection is needed prior to informing a malfunction of the elevator to a repair manager. Therefore, it is difficult to inform quickly the malfunction to the repair manager, and the repair manager needs to check again circumstance on the spot, which may prevent appropriate preparation and rapid repairs.

To solve such problems, a supervisory panel system (not shown) having an interface capable of displaying a state of the elevator to a supervisor through display

devices, and allowing the supervisor to set up or control the operation of the elevator may be adopted.

However, it is impossible to link both information of the security system and the supervisory panel system with each other, since the supervisory panel system is separately set up from the security system. Moreover, an additional communication route for the supervisory panel system should be established, which resultantly increases the costs.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The present invention is designed to overcome aforementioned problems of the prior art. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved elevator security system which is capable of displaying elevator operation information as well as indoor image information so as to make it possible to quickly and accurately deal with problems occurred in the elevator.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an elevator security system, which includes at least one elevator lifting through a hoistway in a building, an elevator controller for controlling the elevator, a photographing unit for photographing indoor image of the elevator, an information composing unit for producing composed image information by composing elevator operation information provided by the elevator controller and image information provided by the photographing unit, a signal transmission unit for transmitting the operation information and the image information from the elevator controller and the photographing unit to the information composing unit, and a supervisory panel for distributing the composed

image information from the information composing unit to security monitors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features, aspects, and advantages of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be more fully described in the following detailed description, taken accompanying drawings. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of the conventional elevator security system; FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an elevator security system according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an elevator security system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an elevator security system according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the elevator security system according to the present embodiment includes at least one elevator 100 moving up and down through a hoistway in a building, an elevator controller 200 for controlling the elevator 100, a security camera 300 for photographing indoor image of the elevator, a communication-image interface 400 for composing an elevator operation information provided by the elevator

controller 200 and an image information provided by the security camera 300, a signal transmission unit for transmitting the operation information provided by the elevator controller 200 and the image information provided by the security camera 300 to the communication-image interface 400, and a recorder 600 for recording the composed image information from the communication-image interface 400 and distributing the composed image information to each security monitor 610.

The elevator controller 200 controls a means (not shown) for lifting the elevator 100, checks and controls a state of the elevator 100 such as an elevator identification number, a present floor, a door state, weight, speed, and malfunction of elevator.

The signal transmission unit includes an operation information supply cable 510 for supplying the operation information provided by the elevator controller 200 to the communication-image interface 400 and an image information supply cable 520 for supplying the image information provided by the security camera 300 to the communication-image interface 400.

The communication-image interface 400 includes a communication port for receiving the control information provided by the elevator controller 200, an image input port for receiving the image information provided by the security camera 300, an interface having different protocols in accordance with the elevator specification, and an image processing circuit for composing the control information provided by the elevator controller 200 and the image information provided by the security camera 300.

As an another example, the signal transmission unit may include a wireless transmitting/receiving apparatus for wirelessly transmitting the operation information provided by the elevator controller 200 and the image information provided by the

security camera 300 to the communication-image interface 400.

In this case, the communication-image interface may include a wireless communication transmitting/receiving unit for wirelessly transmitting and receiving the operation information provided by the elevator controller 200, a wireless image transmitting/receiving unit for wirelessly transmitting and receiving the image information provided by the security camera 300, an interface having different protocols in accordance with the elevator specification, and an image processing circuit for composing the operation information provided by the wireless communication transmitting/receiving unit and the image information provided by the wireless image transmitting/receiving unit.

On the other hand, the communication-image interface 400 may be provided in a machine room (A) equipped with the elevator controller 200, or in a control room (B) in which the security monitor 610 and the recorder 600 are equipped in order to allow a supervisor to easily control.

If it is hard to construct the communication route, it is desirable that the communication-image interface 400 is installed adjacent to the elevator controller in the machine room. For easy set-up and control however, it is preferable to install the communication-image interface 400 in the control room.

If the communication-image interface 400 is equipped in the control room in which the security monitor 610 and the recorder 600 are installed, it is possible to integrate the communication-image interface 400 with the recorder 600.

The elevator has a particular communication interface enabling communication with other devices. However, if there are many additional devices, it is preferable to

prepare an interface having a hub function since it may be short of terminals in connecting additional devices.

Accordingly, the elevator security system of the present invention preferably includes a communication interface having a hub function in order to prepare for such conditions. In addition, the other communication party, which communicates with the elevator, located on opposite end of the route should have a communication interface of the same protocol. The communication-image interface of the present invention includes the same interface, so all the information of the elevator can be transmitted through the interface. Furthermore, the present invention provides a configuration easily compatible with various communication methods (i. e. , hardware/software protocols) in accordance with manufacturers and models of elevators, by simply replacing corresponding modules.

Hereinafter, the operation of the elevator security system according to the embodiment of the present invention is described in detail.

First, an image signal generated by photographing the inside of the elevator 100 by the security camera 300 and an information signal for a current state of the elevator 100 such as an elevator identification number, a present floor, weight, speed, a door state, direction, and malfunction of the elevator provided by the elevator controller 200 are transmitted to the communication-image interface 400 via the signal transmission unit.

The communication-image interface 400 produces composed image information by composing the state information with the image information by using the signals provided by the security camera 300 and the elevator controller 200.

The composed image information produced in the communication-image interface 400 is provided to the recorder 600 for distributing and recording the information. The composed image information is recorded in the recorder 600 and transmitted to each security monitor 610. Accordingly, the composed image information, i. e. , the indoor image information of the elevator and the information representing the present state of the elevator is displayed in the form of text or image on the security monitor 610, thereby allowing the supervisor in the control room to accurately and quickly check the state of the elevator.

Now, an elevator security system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the elevator security system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same component as one of the former embodiment of the present invention is designated by the same reference numeral, and not described in detail here.

As shown in FIG. 3, the elevator security system according to this embodiment includes at least elevator 100 moving up and down through a hoistway in a building, an elevator controller 200 for controlling the elevator 100, a security camera 300 for photographing the inside of the elevator, an information composing recorder 700, i. e. , a supervisory panel, for composing an elevator operation information provided by the elevator controller 200 and an image information provided by the security camera 300, and recording the composed image information together with distributing the composed image information to each monitor 610, and a signal transmission unit for transmitting the elevator operation information provided by the elevator controller 200 and the image

information provided by the security camera 300 to the information composing recorder 700.

The information composing recorder 700 includes an composed image information input unit 710 for inputting the composed image information in which the operation information provided by the elevator controller 200 and the image information provided by the security camera 300 are composed, a communication unit 720 for receiving and providing all the information of the elevator as well as the composed image information, an image distributing unit 730 for distributing the composed image information to each monitor 610, and a recording unit 750 for recording the composed image.

In addition, the information composing recorder 700 may include a computer 740 for not only displaying the indoor image information on a PC monitor 741 of a supervisor in a control room but also providing enormous data related to the elevator such as a state of buttons of each floor, a state of switches of the elevator, the number of passengers, weight, partial statistics data, and speed.

Hereinafter, the operation of the elevator security system according to another embodiment of the present invention is described in detail.

An image signal generated by photographing the inside of the elevator 100 with the security camera 300 and an information signal with respect to the present state of the elevator 100 such as an identification number of the elevator, the present floor, speed, weight, a door state, direction, malfunction provided by the elevator controller 200 are transmitted to the composed image information input unit 710 of the information composing recorder 700 through the signal transmission unit.

The signal transmitted to the information composing recorder 700 is composed with the state information of the elevator to produce a composed image information.

The composed image information produced in the composed image information input unit 710 of the information composing recorder 700 is transmitted to the image distribution unit 730 via the communication unit 720, and then distributed to each monitor 610. Accordingly, each monitor 610 displays the composed image information composed in the composed image information input unit 710 of the information composing recorder 700.

In addition, the composed image information produced in the composed image information input unit 710 of the information composing recorder 700 is recorded in the recording unit 750.

At this time, if the computer 740 operated by the supervisor is installed, all information of the elevator provided by the communication unit 720 as well as the composed image information produced in the composed image information input unit 710 of the information composing recorder 700 are input in the computer 740, and then digitalized, stored, and displayed on the PC monitor 741, thereby allowing the supervisor to accurately and quickly check the state of the elevator.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, an elevator security system according to the present invention may simultaneously display elevator operation information and indoor image information of at least one elevator moving up and down through a hoistway in a building, thereby allowing a supervisor to accurately check the elevator operation

information and quickly deal with problems occurred in the elevator.

The present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.