GB2067788A

GB2067788A - Lift supervisory indicator

Info

Publication number: GB2067788A
Application number: GB8100665A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: EXPRESS LIFT CO Ltd
Current assignee: EXPRESS LIFT CO Ltd
Priority date: 1980-01-09
Filing date: 1981-01-09
Publication date: 1981-07-30
Also published as: GB2067788B

Abstract

A lift supervisory indicator comprising a display panel 3 and microprocessor based control means 2 for displaying on the panel data relating to each of a plurality of lifts in turn. The data for each lift comprises the lift's status and position. Normally this data is displayed cyclically but in the event of a fault in one or more of the lifts, the cycle is interrupted, the panel continuously displaying the fault data until acknowledgement signals produced by pressing a control button 1 for each faulty lift are received at the display control means. The cycle is then resumed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lift supervisory indicator This invention relates to lift supervisory indicators. In particular it relates to lift supervisory indicators of a form suitable for use, for example, in a lift lobby or at a security desk, for giving an indication of the position and status of each of a plurality of lifts.

According to the present invention, a lift supervisory indicator comprises a display panel and display control means for displaying on the panel data relating to each of a plurality of lifts in turn.

The data for each lift may comprise the lift's status and position.

Normally, this data is displayed cyclically, but in the event of a fault in one or more lifts of the plurality the cycle may be interrupted, the panel remaining on the faulty lift or lifts until acknowledgement signals for each faulty lift are received at the display control means, whereafter the cycle is resumed.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the supervisory indicator unit and Figure 2 is a schematic circuit diagram for the indicator unit.

Referring to Figure 1, the display panel 3 comprises a dot matrix.

Each.lift of the plurality has its position and status displayed cyclically on the panel 3, by means which will be more fully described later. In an embodiment of the invention the panel 3 is arranged so that two characters identify the lift, ten display the status of the lift, and two others the lift's position.

A control button 1 or alternatively, a 3 position key operated switch, positioned centrally on the indicator unit has a variety of functions'which will be described later.

Referring to Figure 2, the indicator unit is preferably controlled by microprocessor-based controller 2.

Normally, the controller 2 has three functions, first to sort the data received, secondly to update the data to be displayed, and thirdly to set the lift display period (that is the duration of time in which the data is displayed on the panel 3 for a particular lift).

The controller 2 is connected to lift control means (not shown) preferably by a serial data link 4, although the controller 2 could accept parallel input data. The serially transmitted data consists of two bytes, one of which indicates the lift status and the other the lift position. The status byte could also contain information as to which lift the data refers, but preferably the lift to which the data refers is determined by the position of the status byte in the data string. Thus the status bytes are first transmitted in order and then the position bytes.

The serial data is transmitted periodically and is sorted and stored in a random access memory (RAM) 8.

For each message which is to be displayed the data to generate the display is permanently stored in a read only memory (ROM) 7, the data for each message (or lift position) display being stored at a specified address. The data is stored in a pattern of ones and zeros, and thus by altering the store appropriately the display can be varied.

The status and lift position bytes transmitted via the serial data link 4 are used by the controller 2 to identify the address within the ROM 7 where the appropriate data lies. This allows the lift control means to identify the floors in the building by numbers from 0 upward.

Clearly, the display message used to identify the various operating conditions of the lift can be varied.

Having received a set of status and position bytes for all the lifts, the controller 2 inspects the full set in the RAM 8 to identify any faulty lifts. The data for these lifts is then displayed in turn until its presence has been acknowledged, or the fault removed. Whilst there are no faults, or only acknowledged faults the unit displays the data for each lift in turn for a pre-determined period as follows.

At the start of each period the controller 2 picks up the status and position bytes and uses them to identify the location of the appropriate display data in the ROM 7. This display data is then read into RAM locations where the various parts of the data are assembled into a continuous stream and displayed.

Periodically during the display of the data for each lift the status and position bytes are inspected so that if the lift status or position has changed, the display is updated.

The arrival of serial information will cause the control to 'interrupt' the display of information for a short period (imperceptible to the eye) to read in the new status and/or position code. The arrival of a 'fault' status message will cause the display to be devoted to that lift immediately following the existing display period. When an unacknowledged fault condition is present the whole display is caused to flash in an occulting manner in order to call attention to the display. An audible warning could also be provided. The fault condition is acknowledged by pressing the control button.

If, during the normai display cycle the 'freeze' control is operated, i.e. by pressing the control button once, the display will remain on the data for that particular lift being displayed and changes in its status and position will be displayed as, or shortly after, they occur. By pressing the button a second time the display moves onto the next lift and returns to its cyclical mode. By pressing the control button repeatedly the display can be quickly cycled round all the lifts, overriding the lift display period set by the controller.

1. A lift supervisory indicator comprising a display panel and display control means for

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Lift supervisory indicator This invention relates to lift supervisory indicators. In particular it relates to lift supervisory indicators of a form suitable for use, for example, in a lift lobby or at a security desk, for giving an indication of the position and status of each of a plurality of lifts. According to the present invention, a lift supervisory indicator comprises a display panel and display control means for displaying on the panel data relating to each of a plurality of lifts in turn. The data for each lift may comprise the lift's status and position. Normally, this data is displayed cyclically, but in the event of a fault in one or more lifts of the plurality the cycle may be interrupted, the panel remaining on the faulty lift or lifts until acknowledgement signals for each faulty lift are received at the display control means, whereafter the cycle is resumed. The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the supervisory indicator unit and Figure 2 is a schematic circuit diagram for the indicator unit. Referring to Figure 1, the display panel 3 comprises a dot matrix. Each.lift of the plurality has its position and status displayed cyclically on the panel 3, by means which will be more fully described later. In an embodiment of the invention the panel 3 is arranged so that two characters identify the lift, ten display the status of the lift, and two others the lift's position. A control button 1 or alternatively, a 3 position key operated switch, positioned centrally on the indicator unit has a variety of functions'which will be described later. Referring to Figure 2, the indicator unit is preferably controlled by microprocessor-based controller 2. Normally, the controller 2 has three functions, first to sort the data received, secondly to update the data to be displayed, and thirdly to set the lift display period (that is the duration of time in which the data is displayed on the panel 3 for a particular lift). The controller 2 is connected to lift control means (not shown) preferably by a serial data link 4, although the controller 2 could accept parallel input data. The serially transmitted data consists of two bytes, one of which indicates the lift status and the other the lift position. The status byte could also contain information as to which lift the data refers, but preferably the lift to which the data refers is determined by the position of the status byte in the data string. Thus the status bytes are first transmitted in order and then the position bytes. The serial data is transmitted periodically and is sorted and stored in a random access memory (RAM) 8. For each message which is to be displayed the data to generate the display is permanently stored in a read only memory (ROM) 7, the data for each message (or lift position) display being stored at a specified address. The data is stored in a pattern of ones and zeros, and thus by altering the store appropriately the display can be varied. The status and lift position bytes transmitted via the serial data link 4 are used by the controller 2 to identify the address within the ROM 7 where the appropriate data lies. This allows the lift control means to identify the floors in the building by numbers from 0 upward. Clearly, the display message used to identify the various operating conditions of the lift can be varied. Having received a set of status and position bytes for all the lifts, the controller 2 inspects the full set in the RAM 8 to identify any faulty lifts. The data for these lifts is then displayed in turn until its presence has been acknowledged, or the fault removed. Whilst there are no faults, or only acknowledged faults the unit displays the data for each lift in turn for a pre-determined period as follows. At the start of each period the controller 2 picks up the status and position bytes and uses them to identify the location of the appropriate display data in the ROM 7. This display data is then read into RAM locations where the various parts of the data are assembled into a continuous stream and displayed. Periodically during the display of the data for each lift the status and position bytes are inspected so that if the lift status or position has changed, the display is updated. The arrival of serial information will cause the control to 'interrupt' the display of information for a short period (imperceptible to the eye) to read in the new status and/or position code. The arrival of a 'fault' status message will cause the display to be devoted to that lift immediately following the existing display period. When an unacknowledged fault condition is present the whole display is caused to flash in an occulting manner in order to call attention to the display. An audible warning could also be provided. The fault condition is acknowledged by pressing the control button. If, during the normai display cycle the 'freeze' control is operated, i.e. by pressing the control button once, the display will remain on the data for that particular lift being displayed and changes in its status and position will be displayed as, or shortly after, they occur. By pressing the button a second time the display moves onto the next lift and returns to its cyclical mode. By pressing the control button repeatedly the display can be quickly cycled round all the lifts, overriding the lift display period set by the controller. CLAIMS

1. A lift supervisory indicator comprising a display panel and display control means for displaying on said panel, data relating to each of a plurality of lifts in turn.

2. A lift supervisory indicator according to Claim 1 in which said data for each of said lifts comprises the lift's status and position.

3. A lift supervisory indicator according to either of the preceding claims in which said data is displayed cyclically except in the event of a fault in one or more lifts of said plurality, when the cycle is interrupted, the panel remaining on the faulty lift or lifts until acknowledgement signals are rereceived at said display control means, whereafter the cycle is resumed.

4. A lift supervisory indicator according to Claim 3 in which the whole display is caused to flash when an unacknowledged fault condition is present in order to call attention to the display.

5. A lift supervisory indicator according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which said acknowledgement signals are produced by operating a control switch.

6. A lift supervisory indicator according to Claim 5 in which by operating said control switch in one manner said display is frozen on the data for one particular lift and subsequently displays changes in the particular lift's status and position as, or shortly after they occur, and by operating said control switch in a second manner the display can be cycled round the data for all the lifts independently of the rest of the display control means.

7. A lift supervisory indicator according to anyone of the preceding claims in which said display panel comprises a dot matrix display.

8. A lift supervisory indicator according to Claim 7 in which said display panel is arranged so that a first number of characters identifies the lift to which the display refers, a second number of characters displays the status of the lift, and a third number of characters indicates the lift's position.

9. A lift supervisory indicator according to anyone of the preceding claims wherein said display control means includes a microprocessor programmed to sort data received from a lift control means relating to said lifts, update data which is to be displayed and set the lift display period.

10. A lift supervisory indicator according to Claim 9 in which said microprocessor is connected to lift control means by a serial data link.

1 A lift supervisory indicator according to Claim 10 in which the serially transmitted data consists of two bytes, one of which indicates the lift status and the other the lift position, the identification of the lift to which the data refers being determined by the position of the status byte in the data string.

12. A lift supervisory indicator according to either of Claims 10 and 11 in which said serial data is transmitted periodically and is sorted and stored in a random access memory.

13. A lift supervisory indicator according to any one of Claims 8 to 11 in which the data to generate the display is permanently stored in a read only memory, the data for each message (or lift position) display being stored at a specific address.

14. A lift supervisory indicator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.