Method for switching off the operation of an elevator, and elevator controller

A method for switching off elevator operation of an elevator, the method comprising steps of:

• receiving, by an elevator controller of the elevator, a signal to shut down the elevator operation, wherein the received signal contains information about a time of an announced power outage;
• in response to reception of the signal to shut down the elevator operation putting the elevator controller into a switch-off mode;
• when in the switch-off mode, the elevator controller checking whether the elevator is in an active operating state or in an idle state;
• when the checking determines that the elevator is in the idle state, issuing a command by the elevator controller to switch off the elevator operation;
• and
• when the checking determines that the elevator is in the active operating state and a door of an elevator car of the elevator has not opened automatically within a predetermined time period before the time of the announced power outage, initiating a battery-supported emergency operating mode and/or a forced evacuation operating mode of the elevator controller.

An elevator comprising:

• an elevator controller;
• a machine room connected to the elevator controller by a power supply line;
• an elevator car movable between floors of a building;
• wherein the elevator controller is adapted to receive a signal to shut down the elevator operation, the received signal containing information about a time of an announced power outage at the power supply line;
• wherein the elevator controller responds to reception of the signal by putting the elevator controller into a switch-off mode;
• wherein the elevator controller, when in the switch-off mode, checks whether the elevator is in an active operating state or in an idle state;
• when the elevator controller checking determines that the elevator is in the idle state, the elevator controller issues a command to switch off the elevator operation by opening a switch in the power supply line;
• and
• when the elevator controller checking determines that the elevator is in the active operating state and a door of the elevator car of the elevator has not opened automatically within a predetermined time period before the time of the announced power outage, the elevator controller initiates a battery-supported emergency operating mode and/or a forced evacuation operating mode of the elevator controller.