# US 11,299,370 B2 · Data transmission via elevator system tension member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,370 B2 - Document ID: US11299370B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/023,775 - Filed: 2018-06-29 - Published: 2020-01-02 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-29 - Assignees: Otis Elevator Company - Applicants: Otis Elevator Company - Inventors: Ajit Rajagopalan; Joseph V. Mantese; Brian L. McCabe; Daniel A. Mosher; Brad Guilani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299370B2 ## CPC - B66B 1/3453: {Procedure or protocol for the data transmission or communication} - B66B 7/06: Arrangements of ropes or cables - B66B 5/022: {where the abnormal operating condition is caused by a natural event, e.g. earthquake} - B66B 5/12: in case of rope or cable slack - B66B 7/062: {Belts} - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract A tension member for an elevator system includes one or more tension elements extending along a length of the tension member, and one or more a wave guide regions secured to at least one surface of the tension member or integral to the tension member and extending along the length of the tension member. The one or more wave guide regions are configured for transmission of a radio frequency (RF) data signal along the one or more wave guide regions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tension member for an elevator system, comprising: one or more tension elements extending along a length of the tension member; and one or more a wave guide regions secured to at least one surface of the tension member or integral to the tension member and extending along the length of the tension member, the one or more wave guide regions configured for transmission of a radio frequency (RF) data signal along the one or more wave guide regions; wherein the tension member is configured as a belt, the belt including a jacket defining: a traction side configured to interact with a drive sheave of the elevator system; and a back side opposite the traction side; and wherein the one or more wave guide regions are secured at an edge surface of the belt, the edge surface extending between the traction side and the back side. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tension member of claim 1, wherein the one or more wave guide regions are secured at the back side of the belt. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tension member of claim 1, wherein the one or more wave guide regions are configured as a plurality of wave guide strips, each wave guide strip extending partially across a belt width of the belt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tension member of claim 1, further comprising an interlayer disposed between the jacket and the one or more wave guide regions, the interlayer having a different refractive index than the one or more wave guide regions. ### Claim 5 A tension member for an elevator system, comprising: one or more tension elements extending along a length of the tension member; and one or more a wave guide regions secured to at least one surface of the tension member or integral to the tension member and extending along the length of the tension member, the one or more wave guide regions configured for transmission of a radio frequency (RF) data signal along the one or more wave guide regions; wherein the tension member is configured as a synthetic fiber rope; wherein the one or more wave guide regions surround the one or more tension elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tension member of claim 1, wherein the tension member is configured as a synthetic fiber tape, the one or more wave guide regions disposed at an outer surface of the synthetic fiber tape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tension member of claim 1, wherein the one or more wave guide regions have a loss tangent of less than 0.001. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tension member of claim 1, wherein the one or more wave guide regions are formed from a low loss dielectric material including one or more of a polyolefin, a fluoropolymer, a polystyrene homo or co-polymers, micro-porous or nano-porous polymeric materials. ### Claim 9 An elevator system, comprising: a hoistway; an elevator car movable along the hoistway; a tension member operably connected to the elevator car to move the elevator car along the hoistway, the tension member including: one or more tension elements extending along a length of the tension member; and one or more wave guide regions secured to at least one surface of the tension member or integral to the tension member and extending along the length of the tension member, the one or more wave guide regions configured for transmission of a radio frequency (RF) data signal along the one or more wave guide regions; wherein the tension member is configured as a belt, including a jacket including: a traction side configured to interact with a drive sheave of the elevator system; and a back side opposite the traction side; wherein the one or more wave guide regions are secured at one of the back side or an edge surface of the belt, the edge surface extending between the traction side and the back side. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The elevator system of claim 9, further comprising: a non-contact transmitter disposed in the hoistway configured to transmit the RF data signal to the one or more wave guide regions; and a coupling disposed at the elevator car to convey the RF data signal from the one or more wave guide regions to one or more systems of the elevator car. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The elevator system of claim 10, wherein the one or more systems are one or more of a car control system, a communication system, or an entertainment system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The elevator system of claim 10 wherein the RF data signal includes one or more of an audio signal, a video signal, a control signal, a prognostic health management signal or a condition based monitoring signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The elevator system of claim 9, wherein the tension member is configured as a synthetic fiber rope and the one or more wave guide regions surround or are surrounded by the one or more tension elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The elevator system of claim 9, wherein the tension member is configured as a synthetic fiber tape, the one or more wave guide regions disposed at an outer surface of the synthetic fiber tape. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The elevator system of claim 9, wherein the data signal has a frequency of 1 Mhz or greater.