Service tool with capture and replay

#The embodiments herein relate to equipment service tools and, more particularly, to service tools with data capture and replay for equipment systems.

#Service tools can be used for accessing equipment controllers to monitor functions and performance in an equipment system, such as a conveyance system. Information transmitted from an equipment controller to a service tool can be displayed as current state data. The service tool provides a mechanic with the ability to see what is actively happening within an equipment system at a given moment based on data provided from the equipment controller.

#According to an embodiment, a service tool for interfacing with an equipment system includes a processing system, a display, and a memory system having a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processing system, cause the service tool to establish communication with an equipment controller of the equipment system and capture a plurality of state samples of one or more equipment system parameters distributed over multiple sampling times as a plurality of captured data in a trace buffer of the service tool. The instructions when executed by the processing system cause the service tool to store the captured data from the trace buffer to one or more files in the memory system of the service tool and replay the captured data from the one or more files on the display of the service tool responsive to a replay request.

#The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.

#FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an elevator system that may employ various embodiments of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system that may be configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elevator system 101 including an elevator car 103, a counterweight 105, a tension member 107, a guide rail 109, a machine 111, a position reference system 113, and a controller 115. The elevator car 103 and counterweight 105 are connected to each other by the tension member 107. The tension member 107 may include or be configured as, for example, ropes, steel cables, and/or coated-steel belts. The counterweight 105 is configured to balance a load of the elevator car 103 and is configured to facilitate movement of the elevator car 103 concurrently and in an opposite direction with respect to the counterweight 105 within an elevator shaft 117 and along the guide rail 109.

#The tension member 107 engages the machine 111, which is part of an overhead structure of the elevator system 101. The machine 111 is configured to control movement between the elevator car 103 and the counterweight 105. The position reference system 113 may be mounted on a fixed part at the top of the elevator shaft 117, such as on a support or guide rail, and may be configured to provide position signals related to a position of the elevator car 103 within the elevator shaft 117. In other embodiments, the position reference system 113 may be directly mounted to a moving component of the machine 111, or may be located in other positions and/or configurations as known in the art. The position reference system 113 can be any device or mechanism for monitoring a position of an elevator car and/or counter weight, as known in the art. For example, without limitation, the position reference system 113 can be an encoder, sensor, or other system and can include velocity sensing, absolute position sensing, etc., as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art.

#The controller 115 is located, as shown, in a controller room 121 of the elevator shaft 117 and is configured to control the operation of the elevator system 101, and particularly the elevator car 103. For example, the controller 115 may provide drive signals to the machine 111 to control the acceleration, deceleration, leveling, stopping, etc. of the elevator car 103. The controller 115 may also be configured to receive position signals from the position reference system 113. When moving up or down within the elevator shaft 117 along guide rail 109, the elevator car 103 may stop at one or more landings 125 as controlled by the controller 115. Although shown in a controller room 121, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the controller 115 can be located and/or configured in other locations or positions within the elevator system 101.