Positioning apparatus, elevator and a method for determining the position of an elevator car by using classified position identifiers

A positioning apparatus for an elevator car, comprising:

• a plurality of position identifiers possessing a readable physical property, the plurality of position identifiers being disposed by the side of the trajectory of the elevator car;
• and
• a reader device installed on the elevator car for reading the physical property of the position identifiers,
• wherein the readable physical property of a position identifier is adapted to classify each position identifier according to the intended use of the position identifier into one of two or more optional classes,
• wherein in the position identifiers belonging to at least one of the two or more optional classes, the same physical property is additionally adapted to indicate the linear position of the elevator car, and
• wherein the reader device comprises:
• a plurality of sensors that are disposed consecutively and are configured to read the readable physical property;
• a processor connected to the sensors;
• and
• a memory, in which a program to be executed by the processor has been recorded, wherein the processor is configured:
• to read the measuring data of the sensors,
• to classify the position identifier on the basis of the measuring data being read from the sensors and, if the class of the position identifier fulfills a preselected criterion, and
• to calculate the linear position of the elevator car on the basis of the measuring data being read from the sensors.

A method for determining the position of an elevator car with a positioning apparatus,

• the positioning apparatus comprising a plurality of position identifiers possessing a readable physical property, the plurality of position identifiers being disposed by the side of the trajectory of the elevator car;
• and a reader device installed on the elevator car for reading the physical property of the position identifiers, wherein the readable physical property of a position identifier is adapted to classify each position identifier according to the intended use of the position identifier into one of two or more optional classes, and wherein in the position identifiers belonging to at least one of the two or more optional classes, the same physical property is additionally adapted to indicate the linear position of the elevator car,
• said method comprising the steps of:
• reading a physical property of a position identifier with the reader device;
• classifying the position identifier, on the basis of the physical property read, according to the intended use of the position identifier;
• and
• if classification of the position identifier does not succeed, removing the elevator from service.