CONVEYOR SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention concerns in general the technical field of conveyor systems. More particularly, the invention concerns a solution in relation to a maintenance operation of the conveyor system.

BACKGROUND

The conveyor systems, such as elevators, escalators, and moving walkways, require regular maintenance operation. Some of the maintenance operations are such in nature that they require a visit of a technician on a site the conveyor system resides whereas some other maintenance operations may be performed remotely and even automatically. It is clear that any maintenance operation related to mechanics of the conveyor system require the physical interaction with the conveyor system whereas maintenance operation implementable with software may be performed remotely. Also at least some sort of testing of the conveyor system may be performed automatically and/or remotely.

Many of the maintenance operations prevent a utilization of the conveyor system in question for the period of time the maintenance takes place. Typical ways to communicate on the maintenance work is still attaching a paper notification on a wall of a lobby or setting at least one indicator of the conveyor system on the out-of-service mode. Moreover, there are introduced various further approaches for improving at least in part the above described situations. For example, the documents JPH07206291A and JP2013159456A disclose solutions for providing information on the maintenance operation at least on some accuracy. The first document is related to an approach in which it is manually input a time reserved for the maintenance operation and a remaining time counted from the input time is output to users over a display. The latter document, in turn, discloses an approach by means of which a scheduled instant of time for the maintenance work can be shown at a landing display.

Even if there are available some solutions in the field there is room for introducing more sophisticated solutions to mitigate dissatisfaction among the users of the conveyor systems in contexts of maintenance operations.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide basic understanding of some aspects of various invention embodiments. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description of exemplifying embodiments of the invention.

An object of the invention is to present a method, a control system, a conveyor system, and a computer program for indicating a state of a maintenance operation of a conveyor system.

The objects of the invention are reached by a method, a control system, a conveyor system, and a computer program as defined by the respective independent claims.

According to a first aspect, a method for indicating a state of a maintenance operation of a conveyor system is provided, the method, performed by a control system, comprises: setting the conveyor system to a maintenance state, initiating to perform the maintenance operation, generating at least one control signal to at least one user interface of the conveyor system, the control signal causing the at least one user interface to output an indication descriptive of an estimated duration of the maintenance operation in accordance with a progress of the maintenance operation.

The conveyor system may be set to the maintenance state in accordance with a predefined schedule monitored by the control system.

Alternatively or in addition, the conveyor system may be set to the maintenance state in response to a receipt of a request to set the conveyor system to the maintenance state by the control system. For example, the request may be received from at least one of the following: a data centre; a terminal device of a technician.

The control signal causing the at least one user interface to output the indication may be generated in response to a detection on a completion of a sub-operation being a part of the maintenance operation during performing the maintenance operation. For example, the estimated duration of the maintenance operation may be updated with the control signal by taking into ac-count a duration of a completed sub-operation in data output with the user interface.

The control signal may be generated at predefined time intervals.

The maintenance operation may be one of: software update of the conveyor system; self-test of the conveyor system.

The at least one user interface may be at least one of the following: a display device; an audio device; a haptic device. The display device may be at least one of the following: an entrance hall display, a landing display, an elevator car display.

According to a second aspect, a control system is provided for indicating a state of a maintenance operation of a conveyor system, the control system is configured to: set the conveyor system to a maintenance state, initiate to perform the maintenance operation, generate at least one control signal to at least one user interface of the conveyor system, the control signal causing the at least one user interface to output an indication descriptive of an estimated duration of the maintenance operation in accordance with a progress of the maintenance operation.

For example, the control system may be configured to set the conveyor system to the maintenance state in accordance with a predefined schedule monitored by the control system.

Alternatively or in addition, the control system may be configured to set the conveyor system to the maintenance state in response to a receipt of a request to set the conveyor system to the maintenance state by the control system. The control system may also be configured to receive the request from at least one of the following: a data centre; a terminal device of a technician.

Still further, the control system may be configured to generate the control signal causing the at least one user interface to output the indication in response to a detection on a completion of a sub-operation being a part of the maintenance operation during performing the maintenance operation. The control system may be configured to update the estimated duration of the maintenance operation with the control signal by taking into account a duration of a completed suboperation in data output with the user interface.

The control system may also be configured to generate the control signal at predefined time intervals.

The maintenance operation may e.g. be one of: software update of the conveyor system; self-test of the conveyor system. According to a third aspect, a conveyor system is provided, the conveyor system comprising: a conveyor device, a user interface, and a control system according to the second aspect as defined above.

The at least one user interface may be at least one of the following: a display device; an audio device; a haptic device. The display device, in turn, may be at least one of the following: an entrance hall display, a landing display, an elevator car display.

The conveyor system may further comprise a data centre for providing a communication interface for user terminal devices for providing information indicating a state of a maintenance operation to the user terminal devices.

According to a fourth aspect, a computer program is provided, the computer program comprising computer readable program code configured to cause performing of the method according to the first aspect as defined above when the computer readable program code is run on one or more computing apparatuses.

The expression "a number of” refers herein to any positive integer starting from one, e.g. to one, two, or three.

The expression "a plurality of” refers herein to any positive integer starting from two, e.g. to two, three, or four.

Various exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments of the invention both as to constructions and to methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The verbs “to comprise” and “to include” are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of unrecited features. The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an”, i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates schematically a system according to an example.

Figure 2 illustrates schematically a method according to an example.

Figure 3 illustrates schematically a flow chart according to an example.

Figure 4 illustrates schematically a control system according to an example.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLIFYING EMBODIMENTS

The specific examples provided in the description given below should not be construed as limiting the scope and/or the applicability of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given below are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.

The present invention relates in broad terms to maintenance operations performed to a conveyor systems. Such maintenance operations are especially hardware and software self-tests, but also software updates. This kind of maintenance operations are typically short in duration and, therefore, possible users could even wait a completion of such a maintenance operation if were informed accordingly. However, the present invention may also be applied in other types of maintenance operations, even with such operations in which a technician enters the site of the conveyor system.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates, as a block diagram, an environment, or a system, configurable to implement the present invention. The system may comprise a conveyor system 100 at least comprising a conveyor device 110, a control system 120, and a number of user interfaces 130. The conveyor system 100 may be communicatively connected, e.g. through the control system 120, to a data centre 170 over a communication network 150 belonging to the conveyor system 100. The conveyor system 100 may correspond to an elevator system, an escalator, or a moving walkway, wherein the conveyor device 110 may refer entities of the respective conveyor system 100. The entities refer herein the other entities of the respective conveyor systems than the number of user interfaces 130 and the control system 120 which are schematically illustrated separately in Figure 1 in order to describe their role in the context of the present invention. The conveyor system 100 may or may not be communicatively connected to the data centre 170 dependently on an implementation of the invention. In some embodiments the data centre 170, i.e. one or more computing devices therein, may be at least in part configured to execute at least some steps of the present invention as is described in the forthcoming description.

The one or more user interfaces 130 correspond at least to a device by means of which it is possible to output information to persons residing in an operational vicinity of the respective user interface 130. For example, the user interface 130 may refer to a display device by means of which it is possible to output visual data to the persons. However, the user interface 130 is not only limited to displays but may also correspond to audio based output devices or even to haptic feedback technology. At least some aspects of the present invention are now described by referring to an implementation in which the user interface 130 is a display device. In case the user interface 130 is implemented with one or more display devices it may be a display residing in an entrance hall, at one or more floors of the building, or in an elevator car when the conveyor system 100 is an elevator system. Alternatively or in addition to these one or more display devices may be positioning along a runway of an escalator and/or a moving walkways, such as in the landings at both ends of the respective conveyor systems 100. The term display device shall be understood to cover various kinds of display types implemented with any known technology, such as with LCD, LED, OLED, or plasma technology as well as applying projectors or even fog screens as the user interface 130 in visual representation.

In Figure 1 the conveyor system 100 is also comprising a terminal device 180 which may be possessed by a person allowed to access to perform a maintenance operation to the conveyor system 100. The terminal device 180 may be connected to a communication network, such as to a data bus, implemented in the conveyor system 100 and utilized in the context of some embodiments of the present invention as described in the forthcoming description.

The following description at least some aspects of the invention are described by disclosing a method according to an example in which the control system 120 configured to implement the method resides locally in a location of the conveyor system 100. The method according to the example enables an indication of a state of a maintenance operation of a conveyor system 100 in a sophisticated manner.

First, the control system 120 may be configured to set 210 the conveyor system 100 to a maintenance state which corresponds at least to that it is not available for use. In practices this may mean that a motion of the respective conveyor system 100 is prevented in a known manner e.g. by generating a control signal by the control system 120 causing the conveyor system 100 to the maintenance state. Also further restrictions may be set, such as locking of elevator doors to prevent an access to an elevator car, for example. A trigger for the setting 210 of the conveyor system 100 to the maintenance state may vary in accordance with an embodiment. For example, it may be scheduled in the control system 120 so that when the control system 120 automatically detects that the scheduled instant of time of the maintenance operation is planned to occur, the setting 210 to the maintenance state is performed. This approach may be based on a utilization of an internal clock signal arranged in the control system 120 for detecting instants of time of the maintenance operation defined by a predefined schedule. Alternatively or in addition, the triggering may be performed in response to a receipt of a request as a control signal from an external entity by the control system 120. The external entity may e.g. refer to the data centre 170 which requests, for any reason, an initiation of the maintenance operation causing the setting 210 of the conveyor system 100 to the maintenance state. It may also be arranged that an entity from the conveyor system 100 requests the setting of the conveyor system 100 to the maintenance state. Alternatively or in addition, the external entity causing the setting 210 of the maintenance state may be a terminal device 180 carried by a technician. For example, the technician may connect the terminal device 180 to a communication network of the conveyor system 100, such as to a data bus of the system 100, and either automatically or in response to a predefined actions by the technician through the terminal device 180 the setting 210 of the maintenance state may be triggered to. In relation to the triggering 210 of the maintenance state information on a type of the maintenance operation may be provided to the control system 120 especially in case there is a plurality of options for the maintenance. Some non-limiting examples of the maintenance may e.g. be so-called self-tests or software updates, as already mentioned.

Next, the control system 120 is configured to perform 220 the maintenance operation scheduled or selected to be executed. The performing 220 of the maintenance operation may be arranged so that the control system 120 is aware of a total time of the maintenance operation. For example, the total time of the maintenance operation may be stored in a memory accessible by the control system 120 or it may be delivered to it in the context of the communication as described. In response to the initiation of the maintenance the control system 120 is configured to generate 230 at least one control signal to at least one user interface 130 of the conveyor system 100 to control an output of information with the user interface 130. In accordance with the invention the control signal causes the at least one user interface 130 to output an indication descriptive of an estimated duration of the maintenance operation as the state of the maintenance operation in accordance with a progress of the maintenance operation. In other words, the data output as the indication may describe an estimation on the remaining time required to finish the maintenance work and the data is carried to the user interface(s) 130 in the control signal. In a preferred embodiment the data output is visual data such as numerical data expressing the remaining time, but it may also be some sort of symbol, or combination of symbols, descriptive on the same, such as an hourglass. Moreover, the output data may be audible data, such as beep signals output at different frequencies coded to express a remaining time required to finalize the maintenance operation. Corresponding approaches may be performed with user interfaces 130 based on haptic feedback.

In more sophisticated approaches the control system 120 is configured to update the data output with the at least one user interface 130 in accordance with the progress of the maintenance operation wherein the progress of the maintenance operation is monitored by the control system 120. In accordance with at least some example embodiments the maintenance operation performed to the conveyor system 100 is divided to sub-operations and an execution of these are monitored individually by the control system 120 and their state is taken into account in the generation of the control signal including the data to be output. In other words, the control system 120 may be configured to monitor each of the sub-operations relating to the maintenance operation and in response to a detection of a change in one or more sub-operation the control system 120 may be configured to generate a control signal carrying updated data to update the data descriptive on the remaining time required to finalize the maintenance operation which information is output by the at least one user interface 130. According to an embodiment the control system 120 is configured to receive data indicative of a completion of the sub-operations during the monitoring of the progress of the maintenance operation.

For sake of completeness it is also possible to, within the spirit of the invention, to output additional data to the indication of the remaining time, such as data descriptive on the maintenance operation itself. This is because nowadays users are more accustomed to maintenance operations implemented with software, e.g. due to operations executed in the handheld devices of the users, and therefore providing information descriptive on the maintenance operation may have value to the user in terms of evaluating if he/she is willing to wait until a completion of the maintenance operation or not. For example, providing information, such as “software update is going on” or “self-test is performed” though the user interface 130, in addition to the time information helps the user to establish a comprehensive picture on the situation.

Figure 3 illustrates schematically an example of the above described mechanism as a flow chart to implement the generation of the output of the indication descriptive of the estimated duration of the maintenance operation in accordance with the progress of the maintenance operation. It is here assumed that the maintenance operation to be performed is a software update of the conveyor system 100, or a sub-entity in the conveyor system 100, and the operation is controlled by the control system 120. Moreover, the software update may be executed by a dedicated software update program, or manager, initiated upon a download of the software package and initiation of an installation. The software update may consist of a number of sub-operations denoted in Figure 3 as follows: Download of data packages; SW Update; SW restart; Removal of data files. Each of the sub-operation has its own estimated duration to be executed and the assumed total duration is pre-determined. Now, in response to setting 210 the conveyor system to the maintenance state the control system 120 may be configured to generate a control signal to the user interface 130 wherein the control signal may e.g. carry the predetermined total time of the maintenance operation. In the non-limiting example of Figure 3 the assumed total time may correspond to time T4 and the software update process is initiated. In the process according to the example the control system 120 is configured to first download data packages comprising the updated software which may e.g. mean that the control system 120 establishes a communication connection to a predefined entity, such as the data centre, and requests and downloads the data packages therefrom. If everything goes as planned the control system finalizes the first phase at an instant of time denoted with T1 in Figure 3. This causes a generation of a second control signal to the user interface 130 carrying data indicative of the time needed to finalize the maintenance operation. This may e.g. be generated by the control system 120 by deducing the time T1 from the assumed total time T4 since everything goes as planned. A corresponding update may occur at the instant of time denoted with T2 in case the SW update phase also goes as planned. As can be seen from Figure 3 in the imaginary example the software restart and the removal of downloaded data files may both be initiated in response to the completion of the SW update. In the example, the removal of data files is assumed to take less time than the SW restart, and therefore at the instant of time denoted with T3 a still further control signal with the updated data may be generated to the user interface 130 in order to display the remaining time corresponding to T4-T3. In the described manner the persons in an area wherefrom it is possible to start using the conveyor system 100 may receive information which is based on the progress of the maintenance operation in a high accuracy.

The above described approach in accordance with the present invention becomes even more valuable in case that one or more sub-operations get delayed. For example, in the example of Figure 3 the downloading of the data packages may take longer than expected e.g. due to bad communication connections. This means that the sub-operation in question does not meet the estimated duration T1 . As a result, the control system 120 may be configured to determine the delayed amount of time and to add it to the estimated remaining time of the maintenance operation. In other words, in such a case the remaining time is (T4-T1 )+Td, wherein the time denoted with Td corresponds to the delay in the completion of the sub-operation of downloading the data packages. The same functionality, or check, may be performed at each instance a certain suboperation is completed to. Hence, the output information is up-to-date with an accuracy meaningful to the persons roaming in the area. As mentioned, Figure 3 illustrates schematically aspects relating to the software update in the conveyor system 100, but corresponding approach may be implemented if the maintenance operation is a testing procedure of the conveyer system 100. The testing procedure may be divided to sub-tests and completion of the sub-tests generate respective data during the monitoring by the control system 120. Still further in case the maintenance operation is related to an operation performed by a technician the terminal device 180 by the technician may be used to provide acknowledgements to the control system 120 on completions of sub-tasks in the maintenance operation by the technician.

Alternatively or in addition to the above described approach in which the information output with the user interface 130 is updated in the phased manner it may also be arranged that the update is performed at a predefined time intervals. In this approach it may also be taken into account the internal phases of the respective maintenance operation, but the output data indicative of the remaining time required for the maintenance operation is provided at predefined instants, such as regularly, and in case some phase, i.e. sub-operation, is pending that the instant of time the control system 120 may be configured to calculate an estimation on the state of the progress of the sub-operation, or suboperations, in question, and take into account the estimation in the output of the information in order to provide as accurate estimation on the remaining time required for the maintenance operation as possible.

As mentioned, some example embodiments may be related to a situation in which a technician visits the site the conveyor system in question resides and the technician is involved in the maintenance operation. Upon an initiation the technician may connect her/his terminal device 180 to the communication network of the conveyor system 100 either applying wireless communication technology or wired communication technology in order to initiate the maintenance operation. The operation performed with the terminal device 180 may set 210 the conveyor system 100 to the maintenance state e.g. in response to a receipt of a request by the control system 120 from the terminal device 180 and the technician may initiate performing the maintenance operation. The progress of the maintenance operation may be followed by the terminal device 180 which may signal the information to the control system 120. As a result the control system 120 may generate the one or more control signals to the at least one user interface 130 of the conveyor system 100 as described. The control system 120 may generate the indication descriptive on the estimated duration of the maintenance operation at the instant of the time based on data received from technician’s terminal device 180. For example, the terminal device 180 may generate acknowledgements in response to a completion of a sub-operation of the maintenance operation in a similar manner as shown and described in the context of Figure 3, and the control system 120 may generate the data for outputting in the user interface 130. In this kind of approach the control system 120 may be provided with an access to data descriptive on the maintenance operation performed by the technician, and its duration in total and/or durations of the sub-operations. Alternatively the terminal device 180 may provide the data descriptive of the time related aspects, such as the remaining time required to complete the maintenance operation and/or any sub-information related to that so that the control system 120 may determine the data to be output. It may also be arranged that the terminal device 180 is arranged to communicate with the data centre 170 to inform on the progress of the maintenance operation and the data centre 170 provides the data to the control system 120 either by pushing the data thereto or in response to an inquiry by the control system 120.

As discussed in the foregoing description the control system 120 may advantageously reside at the site of the conveyor system 100 so as to implement the method locally. However, in some example embodiment the control system 120 may be implemented to operate remotely, such as by arranging the control system 120 to operate in the data centre 170. In such a case the control system 120 generates remotely any control operations to the conveyor system 100 in question as well as the data for outputting in the at least one user interface 130.

In addition to the foregoing description it may be arranged that the users may be provided with an access to the information regarding the state of the maintenance operation with their user terminal devices referred with a reference number 190 in Figure 1 , such as with smartphones. For example, the user terminal device 190 may comprise an application software installed therein which may be configured to output the mentioned data to the user. The data may be obtained e.g. from the data centre 170 over an API (Application Programming Interface) made available to the users. Alternatively or in addition, it may be arranged so that the information regarding the state of the maintenance operation is made available some known communication channel, such as by applying one or more social media applications for the delivery of the information so that the users may receive the information. These kinds of approaches in which the user terminal device is made operative as a user interface of the conveyor system 100 may improve the user experience as well as control any crowding in the location of the respective conveyor system 100 since the users may follow the development of the maintenance operation at their locations and schedule their presence in the premises of the conveyor system in accordance with the maintenance operation if they will. For sake of clarity it may be considered that the application software executed by the user terminal device 190 may be considered as a part of the conveyor system 100.

Figure 4 illustrates schematically an example of an apparatus suitable for performing the method as described in the role of the control system 120. In other words, the apparatus of Figure 4 may e.g. be configured to perform a function to indicate a state of a maintenance operation of a conveyor system 100. For sake of clarity, it is worthwhile to mention that the block diagram of Figure 4 depicts some components of an entity that may be employed to implement a functionality of the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a processor 410 and a memory 420. The memory 420 may store data, such as pieces of data as described, but also computer program code 425 causing the indicating of the state of the maintenance operation of the conveyor system in the described manner. The apparatus may further comprise a communication interface 430, such as a wireless communication interface or a communication interface for wired communication, or both to communicate with other entities as described. The communication interface 430 may thus comprise one or more modems, antennas, and any other hardware and software for enabling an execution of the communication e.g. under control of the processor 410. Furthermore, I/O (input/output) components may be arranged, together with the processor 410 and a portion of the computer program code 425, to provide a user interface for receiving input from a user, such as from a technician, and/or providing output to the user of the apparatus when necessary. In particular, the user I/O components may include user input means, such as one or more keys or buttons, a keyboard, a touchscreen, or a touchpad, etc. The user I/O components may include output means, such as a loudspeaker, a display, or a touchscreen. The components of the apparatus may be communicatively connected to each other via data bus that enables transfer of data and control information between the components.

The memory 420 and a portion of the computer program code 425 stored therein may further be arranged, with the processor 410, to cause the apparatus to perform at least a portion of a method as is described in the foregoing description. The processor 410 may be configured to read from and write to the memory 420. Although the processor 410 is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as respective one or more separate processing components. Similarly, although the memory 420 is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as respective one or more separate components, some, or all of which may be integrated/removable and/or may provide permanent I semi-permanent I dynamic I cached storage.

The computer program code 425 may comprise computer-executable instructions that implement functions that correspond to steps implemented in the indicating the state of the maintenance operation of the conveyor system when loaded into the processor 410 of the respective control system 120, such as into the processor 410 the elevator control system or into the processor 410 of the computing device of the data centre. As an example, the computer program code 425 may include a computer program consisting of one or more sequences of one or more instructions. The processor 410 is able to load and execute the computer program by reading the one or more sequences of one or more instructions included therein from the memory 420. The one or more sequences of one or more instructions may be configured to, when executed by the processor 410, cause the apparatus to perform a method as described. Hence, the apparatus may comprise at least one processor 410 and at least one memory 420 including the computer program code 425 for one or more programs, the at least one memory 420 and the computer program code 425 configured to, with the at least one processor 410, cause the apparatus to perform the method.

The computer program code 425 may be provided e.g. a computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable non-transitory medium having the computer program code 425 stored thereon, which computer program code 425, when executed by the processor 410 causes the apparatus to perform the method. The computer-readable non-transitory medium may comprise a memory device or a record medium, such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Bluray disc, or another article of manufacture that tangibly embodies the computer program. As another example, the computer program may be provided as a signal configured to reliably transfer the computer program.

Still further, the computer program code 425 may comprise a proprietary application, such as computer program code for causing an execution of the method in the manner as described in the description herein.

Any of the programmed functions mentioned may also be performed in firmware or hardware adapted to or programmed to perform the necessary tasks.

The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and/or the interpretation of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.