Method and apparatus for adjusting an elevator car based on stored horizontal displacement and acceleration information

An elevator control system, comprising:

• (a) elevator car vertical position sensing means, responsive to a vertical position of the elevator car along opposed guide rails, for providing elevator car vertical position signals;
• (b) learned-rail memory means, responsive to learned-rail memory read signals, for providing learned-rail information signals containing learned information about a sensed horizontal displacement of the elevator car in relation to opposed guide rails and a sensed horizontal acceleration of the elevator car and being indexed according to the vertical position of the elevator car along the opposed guide rails;
• (c) elevator car control means, responsive to the elevator car vertical position signals, for providing learned-rail memory read signals, and further responsive the learned-rail information signals, for providing horizontal adjustment control signals;
• and
• (d) actuator means, responsive to the horizontal adjustment control signals, for adjusting horizontally the elevator car in relation to the opposed guide rails in the elevator hoistway,
• wherein the horizontal adjustment control signals are dependent upon the vertical position of the elevator car along opposed guide rails, the sensed horizontal displacement of the elevator car in relation to the opposed guide rails and the sensed horizontal acceleration of the elevator car.

A method for controlling an elevator, comprising the steps of:

• providing elevator car vertical position signals with elevator car vertical position indicating means depending on a vertical position of the elevator car along opposed guide rails in a hoistway;
• providing, in response to the elevator car vertical position signals, learned-rail memory read signals from an elevator car control means;
• retrieving, in response to the learned-rail memory read signals, learned-rail information signals which contain learned information about a sensed horizontal displacement of the elevator car in relation to opposed guide rails and a sensed horizontal acceleration of the elevator car, the learned-rail information signals being indexed according to the vertical position of the elevator car along the opposed guide rails from a learned-rail memory means;
• providing horizontal adjustment control signals from the elevator car control means in response to the learned-rail information signals, the horizontal adjustment control signals depending upon the vertical position of the elevator car along the opposed guide rails, the sensed horizontal displacement of the elevator car in relation to the opposed guide rails and the sensed horizontal acceleration of the elevator car;
• and
• adjusting the elevator car horizontally in relation to the opposed guide rails in the elevator hoistway with actuator means in response to the horizontal adjustment control signals.