# US 2021/0276833 A1 · Monitoring systems for passenger conveyors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276833 A1 - Document ID: US20210276833A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/953,223 - Filed: 2020-11-19 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09 - Assignees: Otis Elevator Company - Applicants: Otis Elevator Company - Inventors: Craig Drew Bogli; Tadeusz Pawel Witczak; Nikola Trcka; Philipp Schedl; Robert Takacs - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276833A1 ## CPC - B66B 25/006: {Monitoring for maintenance or repair (for security reasons B66B29/005)} - B66B 29/005: {Applications of security monitors} - B66B 21/02: Escalators - B66B 23/12: Steps - B66B 25/00: Control of escalators or moving walkways (walkways of variable speed type B66B21/12; handrails of variable speed type B66B23/26; of general application G05) - 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 monitoring system for a passenger conveyor including: at least one acceleration sensor provided on a movable component of the passenger conveyor, wherein the moveable component moves in a closed loop path (P) when the passenger conveyor is in use; a fault detection sensor associated with the or each acceleration sensor and configured to provide data indicative of a fault in the moveable. The monitoring system includes a controller configured to: receive data from the or each acceleration sensor; monitor a gravity vector (V) of the or each acceleration sensor; determine a direction of travel of the or each acceleration sensor; determine a current location of the or each acceleration sensor based on the monitored gravity vector (V) and the determined direction of travel; detect a fault from the data received from the or each fault detection sensor; identify a location of the detected fault. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A monitoring system (40) for a passenger conveyor (10) comprising at least one acceleration sensor (42) provided on a movable component (22, 26, 30) of the passenger conveyor (10), wherein the moveable component (22, 26, 30) moves in a closed loop path (P) when the passenger conveyor (10) is in use; a fault detection sensor (44) associated with the or each acceleration sensor (42) and configured to provide data indicative of a fault in the moveable component (22, 26, 30); and a controller (50) configured to: receive data from the or each acceleration sensor (42); monitor a gravity vector (V) of the or each acceleration sensor (42); determine a direction of travel of the or each acceleration sensor (42); determine a current location of the or each acceleration sensor (42) based on the monitored gravity vector (V) and the determined direction of travel; detect a fault from the data received from the or each fault detection sensor (44); identify a location of the detected fault based on the determined current location of the associated acceleration sensor (42). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The monitoring system (40) according to claim 1, wherein the controller (50) is configured to determine the current location of the acceleration sensor (42) in relation to a plurality of predefined regions of the closed loop path (P). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The monitoring system (40) of claim 1, wherein at least one acceleration sensor (42) acts as the associated fault detection sensor (44). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The monitoring system (40) of claim 1, wherein at least one fault detection sensor (44) is provided adjacent to the associated acceleration sensor (42). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The monitoring system (40) of claim 1, wherein the controller (50) is further configured to monitor a start-up acceleration (A) of the or each acceleration sensor (42) and determine the direction of travel of the or each acceleration sensor (42) based on the monitored start-up acceleration (A) and the monitored gravity vector (V). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The monitoring system (40) of claim 1, wherein the controller (50) is further configured to determine an orientation of the or each acceleration sensor (42) after power up of the acceleration sensor (42). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The monitoring system (40) of claim 1, further comprising a control station (52) located remotely from the passenger conveyor (10). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A passenger conveyor (10) comprising a monitoring system (40) according to claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The passenger conveyor (10) according to claim 8, wherein the passenger conveyor (10) is an escalator and the moveable component is an escalator step (26). ### Claim 10 A method (100) of monitoring a passenger conveyor (10), comprising: receiving data from an acceleration sensor (42) provided on a moveable component (22, 26, 30) of the passenger conveyor (10); monitoring a gravity vector (V) of the acceleration sensor (42); determining a direction of travel of the acceleration sensor (42); determining a current location of the acceleration sensor (42) based on the monitored gravity vector (V) and the determined direction of travel; receiving data indicative of a fault in the moveable component (22, 26, 30); detecting a fault from the data received from the fault detection sensor (44); identifying a location of the detected fault based on the determined current location of the acceleration sensor (42). ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method (100) according to claim 10, wherein the step of identifying a location of the detected fault includes determining the current location in relation to a plurality of predefined regions of the closed loop path (P). ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method (100) according to claim 10, wherein the step of receiving data indicative of a fault in the moveable component (22, 26, 30) includes receiving data from the acceleration sensor (42). ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method (100) according to claim 9, wherein the step of determining a direction of travel of the acceleration sensor (42) includes: monitoring a start-up acceleration (A) of the acceleration sensor (42); and determining the direction of travel based on the determined monitored start-up acceleration (A) and the monitored gravity vector (V). ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method (100) according to claim 9, further comprising determining an orientation of the acceleration sensor (42) after power up of the acceleration sensor (42). ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method (100) according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting data to a control station (52) located remotely from the passenger conveyor (10).