Method, elevator control unit, and elevator system for dynamically
adjusting a levelling speed limit of an elevator car
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention concerns in general the technical field of an elevator technology.
Especially the invention concerns enhancing the safety of the elevators.
BACKGROUND
Typically an elevator comprises an elevator car and a hoisting machine
configured to drive the elevator car in an elevator shaft between landings.
When the elevator car is arriving to a landing, the elevator car is instructed to
decelerate and finally to stop to the landing. To improve the accuracy of
stopping the elevator car at the landing a levelling operation is used.
During the levelling operation the elevator car is allowed to move with open
door(s) at an unlocking zone. However, the levelling speed of the elevator car
is limited within the unlocking zone. The unlocking zone is typically defined as
a zone extending from above and below a floor level of the landing, in which
the elevator car floor must be in order to enable the door(s) to be unlocked.
Both the car door(s) and landing door(s) may be unlocked during the levelling
operation at the unlocking zone. The speed of the elevator car is also limited
during a re-levelling of the elevator car. The re-levelling is an operation that is
performed after the elevator car is stopped, to allow the stopping position of
the elevator car to be corrected during loading or unloading, if necessary.
The speed limits for levelling and re-levelling are defined by standards. For
example in EN 81-1 and EN 81-20 the speed limit for levelling with door(s)
open is 0.8 m/s and for re-levelling with door(s) open is 0.3 m/s. According to
another example in A17.1 standard the speed limit for levelling and re-levelling
with door(s) open is 0.75 m/s. Furthermore, according to Unintended Car
Movement Protection (UCMP) requirement the elevator car shall be stopped
within a predetermined distance from the landing, if the elevator car moves
away from the unlocking zone with open door(s).
According to prior art solutions, a fixed levelling speed limit value is set for the
elevator car. If the speed of the elevator car meets the fixed levelling speed
limit value during the levelling operation, the speed of the elevator car is

configured to be decelerated or the movement of the elevator car is configured
to be stopped.
However, one drawback of the prior art solution is that the stopping of the
elevator car within the predetermined distance from the landing may be
challenging or even impossible. Especially, if the elevator car moves away
from the landing and leaves the unlocking zone at a speed that is close to the
levelling speed limit. Thus, the higher the levelling speed limit is the longer the
time to react to an unusual movement of the elevator car is.
Hence, there is a need to develop further solutions in order to mitigate the
described drawbacks at least partly.
SUMMARY
An objective of the invention is to present a method, an elevator control unit,
and an elevator system for dynamically adjusting a levelling speed limit of an
elevator car during a levelling operation. Another objective of the invention is
that the method, and elevator control unit, and elevator system for dynamically
adjusting a levelling speed limit of an elevator car during a levelling operation
improve at least partly the safety of an elevator solution.
The objectives of the invention are reached by a method, an elevator control
unit, and an elevator system as defined by the respective independent claims.
According to a first aspect, method for dynamically adjusting a levelling speed
limit of an elevator car during a levelling operation is provided, wherein the
method comprising: obtaining an indication that the elevator car is detected to
arrive to a zone; obtaining at least one value indicating the speed of the
elevator car, in response to detecting that the elevator car arrives to the zone;
and dynamically adjusting the levelling speed limit of the elevator car based on
the speed of the elevator car.
The at least one value for indicating the speed of the elevator car may be
obtained from at least one of the following: position sensor, drive, acceleration
sensor, a magnetic sensor of door zone sensor unit.
The method may further comprise: determining if the speed of the elevator car
meets the dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit of the elevator car; and
controlling the movement of the elevator car, if the speed of the elevator car is

determined to meet the dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit of the
elevator car.
Alternatively or in addition, the at least one value indicating the speed of the
elevator car may be a position of the elevator car and the method may further
comprise: obtaining an indication if the position of the elevator car is
determined to be outside the zone; determining if at least one door is open;
and stopping the movement of the elevator car, if the position of the elevator
car is determined to be outside the zone and the at least one door is
determined to be open.
The zone may be an unlocking zone, wherein the unlocking zone is a zone
extending from an upper limit above a floor level of a landing and a lower limit
below the floor level of the landing, in which the elevator car floor is in order to
enable at least one door to be unlocked.
The indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive to the zone may be
obtained from a door zone sensor unit.
According to a second aspect, an elevator control unit for dynamically
adjusting a levelling speed limit of an elevator car during a levelling operation
is provided, wherein the elevator control unit comprising: at least one
processor, and at least one memory storing at least one portion of computer
program code, wherein the at least one processor being configured to cause
the elevator control unit at least to perform: obtain an indication that the
elevator car is detected to arrive to a zone; obtain at least one value indicating
speed of the elevator car, in response to detecting that the elevator car arrives
to the zone; and dynamically adjust the levelling speed limit of the elevator car
based on the speed of the elevator car.
The elevator control unit may be configured to obtain the at least one value
indicating the speed of the elevator car from at least one of the following:
position sensor, drive, acceleration sensor, magnetic sensor of door zone
sensor unit; which is communicatively coupled to the control unit.
The elevator control unit may be further configured to: determine if the speed
of the elevator car meets the dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit of the
elevator car; and control the movement of the elevator car, if the speed of the
elevator car is determined to meet the dynamically adjusted levelling speed
limit of the elevator car.

Alternatively or in addition, the at least one value indicating the speed of the
elevator car may be a position of the elevator car and the elevator control unit
may be further configured to: obtain an indication if the position of the elevator
car is determined to be outside the zone; determine if at least one door is
open; and stop the movement of the elevator car, if the position of the elevator
car is determined to be outside the zone and the at least one door is open.
The zone may be an unlocking zone, wherein the unlocking zone is a zone
extending from an upper limit above a floor level of a landing and a lower limit
below the floor level of the landing, in which the elevator car floor is in order to
enable at least one door to be unlocked.
The elevator control unit may be configured to obtain the indication that the
elevator car is detected to arrive to a zone from the door zone sensor unit.
According to a third aspect, an elevator system for dynamically adjusting a
levelling speed limit of an elevator car during a levelling operation is provided,
wherein the elevator system comprising: at least one of the following: position
sensor, drive, acceleration sensor, door zone sensor unit comprising at least
one magnetic sensor; and an elevator control unit configured to: obtain an
indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive to a zone; obtain at least
one value indicating speed of the elevator car, in response to detecting that the
elevator car arrives to the zone; and dynamically adjust the levelling speed
limit of the elevator car based on the speed of the elevator car, wherein the
elevator control unit and the at least one of the following: position sensor,
drive, acceleration sensor, door zone sensor unit, are communicatively
coupled to each other.
One advantage of the method, the elevator control unit, and the elevator
system according to the invention is that the performance of Unintended Car
Movement Protection (UCMP) may be improved at least partly with the
dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit according to the invention compared
to fixed levelling speed limits, because with the dynamically adjusted levelling
speed limit according to the invention the elevator car may be stopped sooner,
in which case the elevator car moves shorter distance away from the landing.
The method according to the invention helps at least partly to stop the elevator
car within the predetermined distance from landing according to the UCMP.
Moreover, the method, the elevator control unit, and the elevator system
according to the invention may even enable to prevent the elevator car from

leaving the unlocking zone in case of sudden acceleration of the elevator car
during the levelling operation. Especially, in a case where the elevator car for
some reason starts to accelerate suddenly, when arriving to the landing, the
dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit according to the invention may
enable shorter reaction time compared to the fixed levelling speed limits. In
some cases the fixed levelling speed limit may not be even met before the
elevator car moves out of the unlocking zone. Alternatively or in addition, the
method, the elevator control unit, and the elevator system according to the
invention may even enable to prevent any danger or damage to a life, health or
property being caused by sudden acceleration of the elevator car during the
levelling operation. Based on at least the above mentioned advantages, the
method according to the invention improves at least partly the safety of the
elevator system.
The exemplary embodiments of the invention presented in this patent
application are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of
the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used in this patent application
as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of also un-recited
features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely
combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.
The expression "a number of may herein refer to any positive integer starting
from one (1).
The expression "a plurality of may refer to any positive integer starting from
two (2), respectively.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are
set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however,
both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional
objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following
description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not
byway of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates schematically a method according to an embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 2 illustrates schematically a method according to another embodiment
of the invention.
Figure 3 illustrates schematically a method according to a third embodiment of
the invention.
Figure 4 illustrates an example of dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit
obtained with a method according to the invention.
Figure 5 illustrates schematically an example of the elevator control unit
according to the invention.
Figure 6 illustrates schematically an example of the door zone sensor unit
according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS
The embodiments of the invention may be implemented in an elevator system
as will be described. The elevator system comprises an elevator car, a hoisting
machine, an elevator control unit, and at least one of the following: position
sensor, drive, acceleration sensor, door zone sensor unit. The hoisting
machine is configured to drive the elevator car in an elevator shaft between a
plurality of landings. The elevator unit and the at least one of the following:
position sensor, drive, acceleration sensor, door zone sensor unit are
communicatively coupled to each other. The communicatively coupling may be
provided via an internal bus, for example. Preferably, the communicatively
coupling may be provided via a serial bus.
Furthermore, the elevator system may comprise at least one magnet fixed to
the elevator shaft. The at least one magnet may be floor magnet at a landing of
the elevator shaft. Preferably, at least one floor magnet may be fixed to a
landing door frame at each landing of the elevator shaft. Alternatively or in
addition, the at least one magnet may be a terminal magnet at least at one
terminal landing of the elevator shaft. The at least one terminal landing may be
the top or the bottom floor. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one magnet
may be a position magnet fixed to the elevator shaft for providing the position
information of the elevator car in the shaft. The at least one magnet may
comprise at least one passive RFID tag. The at least one RFID tag comprises

unique identification code and type code of the at least one magnet. The type
of the at least one magnet may be for example one of the following: floor
magnet, terminal magnet, position magnet.
When the elevator car is configured to arrive to a desired landing, the speed of
the elevator car is instructed to be decelerated so that the elevator car may be
stopped at the landing. In order to improve the accuracy of the stopping of the
elevator car to the landing a levelling operation is used. The levelling operation
may be started, when the elevator car arrives to a zone. The zone may be an
unlocking zone of the landing. The levelling operation may be provided each
time when the elevator car is configured to arrive to one of the landings of the
elevator shaft.
Figure 1 schematically illustrates a method for dynamically adjusting a levelling
speed limit of an elevator car according to the invention as a flowchart. At the
step 102, it is obtained an indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive
to a zone. Within the zone the dynamic adjustment of the levelling speed limit
is provided. In response to detecting that the elevator car arrives to the zone at
least one value for indicating a speed of the elevator car is obtained at the step
104. Based on the speed of the elevator car, the levelling speed limit of the
elevator car is dynamically adjusted at the step 106. Preferably, the dynamic
adjustment of the levelling speed limit may be provided each time when the
levelling operation is provided, i.e. when the elevator car is configured to arrive
to one of the landings of the elevator shaft.
The zone, wherein the dynamic adjustment of the levelling speed limit may be
provided may be the unlocking zone of the landing. The unlocking zone may
be defined as a zone extending from an upper limit above the floor level of the
landing and a lower limit below the floor level of the landing, in which the
elevator car floor must be in order to enable the at least one door to be
unlocked. Alternatively or in addition, the unlocking zone may be called as a
door zone. Thus, the unlocking zone may further be defined as a zone
extending from a lower limit below floor level of the landing to an upper limit
above the floor level of the landing, in which the landing and car door
equipment are in mesh and operable. The unlocking zone may be determined
to be from -350 millimeters to +350 millimeters, for example. Preferably, the
unlocking zone may be from -300 millimeters to + 300 millimeters.

The elevator car may be detected to be in the unlocking zone, if the floor level
of the elevator car is within the unlocking zone. The upper and lower limits of
the unlocking zone are defined from the floor level of the landing, but a door
operator for unlocking the at least one door may be located at the top of the at
least one door. The landing door may be unlocked, when the car door coupler
releases a lock of the landing door.
At the step 102, wherein it is obtained an indication that the elevator car is
detected to arrive to a zone. The detection may be provided by means of the
door zone sensor unit comprising at least one magnetic sensor and an RFID
reader, for example. The door zone sensor unit is fixed to the elevator car.
Preferably, the door zone sensor unit is fixed to the roof of the elevator car.
The door zone sensor unit is further configured to provide an indication to the
elevator control unit that that the elevator car is detected to arrive to a zone.
The position of the unlocking zone of each landing in the elevator shaft may be
defined during a setup run. The setup run is performed before the elevator car
may be taken into actual operation in order to provide pre-information about
the elevator shaft. The setup run may be provided in connection with an
installation of the elevator system, for example. During the setup run the
elevator car may be configured to drive first either at the top floor or at the
bottom floor and then the elevator car is configured to drive the elevator shaft
from one end to the other end. The setup run may comprise obtaining and
storing pre-information of the at least one magnet in the elevator shaft. For
example the pre-information of the at least one floor magnet of unlocking zone
of each landing of the elevator shaft may be obtained and stored during the
setup run. The pre-information may be stored in a non-volatile memory of the
elevator control unit. The pre-information may be obtained by the door zone
sensor unit. The pre-information may comprise at least the following: floor
number, identification code, magnet type, position information.
During the actual operation of the elevator car, such as driving the elevator car
in the elevator shaft between landings, the door zone sensor unit is configured
to detect that the elevator car arrives to the unlocking zone of the landing to
which the elevator car is instructed to stop at the step 102. In other words the
door control unit is configured to detect an identification code of at least one
floor magnet and define based on the detected identification code and the
corresponding stored pre-information that the detected at least one floor
magnet is a floor magnet of the landing to which the elevator car is instructed

to stop. The elevator control unit is configured to obtain an indication that the
elevator car is detected to arrive to the unlocking zone in response to detection
that the elevator car arrives to the unlocking zone from the door zone sensor
unit. Alternatively or in addition, when the elevator car bypasses a position
magnet the door zone sensor unit is configured to define the position
information of the elevator car in the elevator shaft based on the detected
identification code of the position magnet and the stored pre-information of the
said position magnet. The defined position information may be used to define
that the elevator car is approaching to the unlocking zone, if the position
magnet is fixed in the elevator shaft proximity to the unlocking zone.
Alternatively or in addition, the defined position information may be used to
define that the elevator car is leaving from the unlocking zone, if the position
magnet is fixed in the elevator shaft proximity to the unlocking zone.
During the levelling operation the elevator car is allowed to move within the
unlocking zone with at least one open door, if the levelling speed of the
elevator car is less than the levelling speed limit. The at least one open door
may be an elevator car door or a landing door. The dynamic adjustment of the
levelling speed limit is preferably provided when the at least one door is open.
The observation of the at least one value for indicating the speed of the
elevator car may be started before the elevator arrives the unlocking zone.
Preferably, the observation may be activated, when the elevator car arrives to
the unlocking zone.
The speed of the elevator car may be obtained directly. Alternatively or in
addition, the speed of the elevator car may also be obtained indirectly by
obtaining, for example, the position of the elevator car as a value for indicating
the speed of the elevator car. Alternatively or in addition, the speed of the
elevator car may be determined and thus also the levelling speed limit of the
elevator car may be adjusted based on a combination of a plurality of the
obtained values for indicating the speed of the elevator car. As an example, the
levelling speed limit may be adjusted based on the directly obtained speed of
the elevator car in combination with the obtained position of the elevator car as
a function of time. In case of dynamically adjusting the levelling speed based
on the position of the elevator car also predetermined speed information of the
elevator car at the said position of the elevator car may be utilized. The
predetermined speed information may be based on expected deceleration rate
of the elevator car, for example.

The at least one value for determining the speed of the elevator car may be
obtained for example from at least one of the following: drive; position sensor;
acceleration sensor; at least one magnetic sensor of a door zone sensor unit;
which may be communicatively coupled to an elevator control unit. The speed
of the elevator car may be determined in a drive by obtaining a signal from at
least one encoder mounted in a hoisting motor and communicatively coupled
to the drive. Alternatively or in addition, the speed of the elevator car may be
determined based on a position of the elevator car obtained by means of at
least one position sensor, such as absolute position sensor. The at least one
position sensor may be fixed to the elevator car. Preferably, the position is
obtained as a function of time. Alternatively or in addition, the speed of the
elevator car may be determined within the unlocking zone in the door zone
sensor unit comprising at least one magnetic sensor. Preferably the at least
one magnetic sensor is a Hall sensor. The door zone sensor unit is coupled to
the elevator car. Preferably, the door zone sensor unit is fixed to the roof of the
elevator car. The at least one magnetic sensor of the door zone sensor unit
may be configured to obtain a strength of a magnetic field as the elevator car
is bypassing the at least one floor magnet at the unlocking zone of the landing.
Based on the obtained magnetic field strength at least position and speed of
the elevator car within the unlocking zone may be defined. For example, the
speed of the elevator car may be defined from a rate of change of the position
of the elevator car defined from the obtained strength of magnetic field as the
elevator car bypasses the at least one floor magnet at the unlocking zone of
the landing. The door zone sensor unit provides the position and speed of the
elevator car only within the unlocking zone of each landing. The at least one
floor magnet of the landing and the door zone sensor unit may be arranged so
that the floor magnet of the landing and the door zone sensor unit are aligned,
when the elevator car is exactly on the floor level of the landing. Alternatively
or in addition, the speed of the elevator car may be determined on a basis of
acceleration of the elevator car obtained by means of at least one acceleration
sensor. The at least one acceleration sensor may be arranged in the door zone
sensor unit, for example.
The dynamic adjustment of the levelling speed limit of the elevator may be
understood so that the levelling speed limit is continuously adjusted during the
levelling operation, while the elevator car is decelerating to the landing so that
the levelling speed limit is reduced when the determined actual speed of the
elevator car is decelerating. In other words, the speed of the elevator car is

determined at a number of points during the levelling operation of the elevator
car. The levelling speed limit may be adjusted at each point based on the
speed of the elevator car determined at the point in question. Alternatively or in
addition, the adjustment at each point may be based on the speed of the
elevator car determined at the point in question together with the speed
determined at the previous points. The adjustment may also be done only at
some of the points. The points may be equally or logarithmically spaced, for
example. For example, the door zone sensor unit may obtain the at least one
value for indicating the speed of the elevator car 1000 times per second.
Alternatively or in addition, the elevator control unit may be configured to
obtain the value for indicating the speed of the elevator car 60 times per
second. The dynamic adjustment may be finished when the movement of the
elevator car is stopped. Alternatively, a minimum levelling speed limit may be
determined and when the dynamically adjusted levelling speed meets the
minimum levelling speed limit the dynamic adjustment may be finished.
The method according to the invention may further comprise determining if the
speed of the elevator car meets the dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit
of the elevator car at the step 202. If the speed of the elevator car meets the
dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit of the elevator car, the movement of
the elevator car is controlled at the step 204. This is schematically illustrated in
Figure 2. The movement of the elevator car is at least partly controlled by an
elevator control unit. The controlling the movement of the elevator may
comprise decelerating or stopping the movement of the elevator car.
Deceleration is an operation of reducing the speed of the elevator car from
normal operating speed to stop. Deceleration may also be referred to as
slowdown.
As described above, the at least one value for determining the speed of the
elevator car may be the position of the elevator car. In that case, the method
may also further comprise obtaining an indication if the position of the elevator
car is determined to be outside the unlocking zone at the step 302. The
indication that the elevator car is determined to be outside the unlocking zone
may be obtained from the door zone sensor unit, for example. At the step 304
it is further determined if at least one door is open. If the position of the
elevator car is determined to be outside the unlocking zone and the at least
one door is open, the movement of the elevator car is stopped at the step 302.
This is schematically illustrated in Figure 3. The stopping of the elevator car is
at least partly controlled by an elevator control unit. According to Unintended

Car Movement Protection (UCMP) requirement the elevator car shall be
stopped within a predetermined distance from a landing, if the elevator car
moves away from the unlocking zone with open door(s), wherein the
predetermined distance is 1000 mm.
Figure 4 illustrates an example of the dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit
determined with the method according to the invention. On the x-axis of the
Figure 4 is time and on the y-axis is speed. The solid line 402 represents the
actual speed of the elevator car. The dashed line 406 represents a fixed
levelling speed limit that is presented as a comparison to the dynamically
adjusted levelling speed limit. The dashed line 408, in turn, is a minimum
levelling speed limit. The dense dashed line 404 is the dynamically adjusted
levelling speed limit determined by the method according to the invention.
Figure 4 shows that the levelling speed limit is reduced while the elevator car
speed is decelerating during the levelling operation. In the example presented
in Figure 4 the dynamic adjustment of the levelling speed limit of the elevator
car is started when the elevator car arrives to the zone. The observation of the
at least one value representing the speed of the elevator car may be started
before the elevator car arrives to the zone. The dynamic adjustment of the
levelling speed limit may be finished at a minimum levelling speed limit 408 in
Figure 4. Alternatively, the dynamic adjustment of the levelling speed limit may
be continued until the elevator car is stopped to the landing.
In a case, where the speed of the elevator car for some reason starts to
accelerate suddenly during the levelling operation, when the elevator car is
arriving to the landing, the time for reacting to the acceleration with the
dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit according to the invention may be
shorter than with the fixed levelling speed limit. Thus, more time for controlling
the elevator car may be obtained. The controlling may comprise for example
decelerating the speed of the elevator car or stopping of the elevator car. For
example, if the elevator car starts to accelerate right before stopping to the
landing, with fixed levelling speed limit the elevator car may even leave the
unlocking zone before the accelerated speed of the elevator car meets the
fixed leveling speed limit. Furthermore, the accelerated speed of the elevator
car may become so high that the elevator car may not be stopped or at least
may be challenging to be stopped within the predetermined distance from the
landing determined by the UCMP. However, with the dynamically adjusted
levelling speed limit according to the invention the acceleration may be
detected sooner, because the levelling speed limit is decreasing

simultaneously, when the speed of the elevator car is decelerating. Thus, the
dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit is closer to the speed of the elevator
car than the fixed levelling speed limit at least when the speed of the elevator
car starts to decelerate. The sudden acceleration or some other unusual
movement of the elevator car may be, for example, a consequence of a failure
occurring in the elevator control unit or in the drive, for example.
The dynamic adjustment of the levelling speed limit becomes more
challenging, when the speed of the elevator car comes close to zero, because
the inaccuracy in the determination of the speed of the elevator car based on
the obtained at least one value for determining the speed of the elevator car
may increase too much in order to determine reliable values for the
dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit. Thus, a fixed minimum levelling
speed limit 408 may be set for the dynamic adjustment of the levelling speed
limit and below that the levelling speed limit is not dynamically adjusted any
longer. Preferably, the minimum levelling speed limit 408 may be defined to be
a maximum speed limit of the relevelling. The maximum speed limit of the
relevelling may be 0.2 meters per second, for example.
According to an embodiment of the invention the levelling speed limit may be
adjusted dynamically by obtaining the speed of the elevator car at a number of
determination points, calculating average of the speed of the elevator car at
the said number of observation points, and adding a fixed predetermined value
to the calculated average. Alternatively or in addition, the observation points
having highest and/or lowest speed may be excluded from the calculation of
the average.
Alternatively or in addition, according to an embodiment of the invention the
levelling speed limit may be adjusted dynamically by obtaining the speed of the
elevator car at a number of observation points, calculating average of the
speed of the elevator car at the observation points, and adding a
predetermined percentage of the observed speed of the elevator car to the
calculated average. Alternatively or in addition, the observation points having
highest and/or lowest speed may be excluded from the calculation of the
average.
Alternatively or in addition, the levelling speed limit may be adjusted based on
expected or predetermined declaration rate of the elevator car,

A schematic example of the elevator control unit 502 according to the invention
is disclosed in Figure 5. The elevator control unit 502 may comprise one or
more processors 504, one or more memories 506 being volatile or non-volatile
for storing portions of computer program code 507a-507n and any data values,
a communication interface 508 and possibly one or more user interface units
510. The mentioned elements may be communicatively coupled to each other
with e.g. an internal bus. The communication interface 510 provides interface
for communication with any external unit, such as position sensor, drive,
acceleration sensor, door zone sensor unit, database and/or external systems.
The communication interface 510 may be based on one or more known
communication technologies, either wired or wireless, in order to exchange
pieces of information as described earlier.
The at least one processor 504 of the elevator control unit 502 is at least
configured to implement at least some method steps as described. The
implementation of the method may be achieved by arranging the processor
504 to execute at least some portion of computer program code 507a-507n
stored in the memory 506 causing the processor 504, and thus the elevator
control unit 502, to implement one or more method steps as described. The
processor 504 is thus arranged to access the memory 506 and retrieve and
store any information therefrom and thereto. For sake of clarity, the processor
504 herein refers to any unit suitable for processing information and control the
operation of the elevator control unit 502, among other tasks. The operations
may also be implemented with a microcontroller solution with embedded
software. Similarly, the memory 506 is not limited to a certain type of memory
only, but any memory type suitable for storing the described pieces of
information may be applied in the context of the present invention.
A schematic example of the door zone sensor unit 600 according to the
invention is disclosed in Figure 6. The door zone sensor unit 600 may
comprise at least one magnetic sensor 610, such as a Hall sensor, an RFID
reader 612, one or more processors 602, one or more memories 604 being
volatile or non-volatile for storing portions of computer program code 605a-
605n and any data values, a communication interface 606 and possibly one or
more user interface units 608. The mentioned elements may be
communicatively coupled to each other with e.g. an internal bus. The
communication interface 606 provides interface for communication with any
external unit, database and/or external systems. The communication interface
606 may be based on one or more known communication technologies, either

wired or wireless, in order to exchange pieces of information as described
earlier. The at least one magnetic sensor 610 may be an internal unit as is
shown in Figure 6. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one magnetic sensor
610 may be an external unit. Furthermore, the RFID reader 612 may be an
internal unit of the door zone sensor unit 106. Alternatively or in addition, the
RFID reader 612 may be an external unit.
The processor 602 of the door zone sensor unit 600 is at least configured to
provide at least the following information within the unlocking zone of each
landing: floor number, magnet type, identification code of the magnet, position
of the elevator car, speed of the elevator car. The number of magnetic sensors
610 may be determined based on the number of the floor magnets at the
unlocking zone of each landing. The RFID reader 612 of the door zone sensor
unit 600 is configured to obtain at least the floor number, magnet type and
identification code of the magnet from the RFID tag of the at least one floor
magnet. The door zone information may be obtained only within the unlocking
zone of each floor of the elevator shaft. The processor 602 is arranged to
access the memory 604 and retrieve and store any information therefrom and
thereto. For sake of clarity, the processor 602 herein refers to any unit suitable
for processing information and control the operation of the door zone sensor
unit, among other tasks. The operations may also be implemented with a
microcontroller solution with embedded software. Similarly, the memory 604 is
not limited to a certain type of memory only, but any memory type suitable for
storing the described pieces of information may be applied in the context of the
present invention.
The verb "meet" in context of a levelling speed limit is used in this patent
application to mean that a predefined condition is fulfilled. For example, the
predefined condition may be that the levelling speed limit value is reached and/
or exceeded.
The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be
construed as limiting the applicability and/or the interpretation of the appended
claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above
are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.

CLAIMS
1. A method for dynamically adjusting a levelling speed limit of an elevator
car during a levelling operation, the method comprising:
- obtaining an indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive to a zone
(102),
- obtaining at least one value indicating the speed of the elevator car, in
response to detecting that the elevator car arrives to the zone (104), and
- dynamically adjusting the levelling speed limit of the elevator car based on
the speed of the elevator car (106).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one value for
indicating the speed of the elevator car is obtained from at least one of the
following: position sensor, drive, acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor of
door zone sensor unit.
3. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the
method further comprising:
- determining if the speed of the elevator car meets the dynamically adjusted
levelling speed limit of the elevator car (202), and
- controlling the movement of the elevator car (204), if the speed of the
elevator car is determined to meet the dynamically adjusted levelling speed
limit of the elevator car.
4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at
least one value indicating the speed of the elevator car is a position of the
elevator car and the method further comprising:
- obtaining an indication if the position of the elevator car is determined to be
outside the zone (302),
- determining if at least one door is open (304), and
- stopping the movement of the elevator car (306), if the position of the
elevator car is determined to be outside the zone and the at least one door is
determined to be open.

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the zone
is an unlocking zone, wherein the unlocking zone is a zone extending from an
upper limit above a floor level of a landing and a lower limit below the floor
level of the landing, in which the elevator car floor is in order to enable at least
one door to be unlocked.
6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the
indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive to the zone is obtained
from a door zone sensor, unit.
7. An elevator control unit (502) for dynamically adjusting a levelling speed
limit of an elevator car during a levelling operation, the elevator control unit
(502) comprising:

- at least one processor (504), and
- at least one memory (506) storing at least one portion of computer program
code (507a)-(507n),
wherein the at least one processor (504) being configured to cause the
elevator control unit (502) at least to perform:
- obtain an indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive to a
zone,
- obtain at least one value indicating speed of the elevator car, in
response to detecting that the elevator car arrives to the zone, and
- dynamically adjust the levelling speed limit of the elevator car based
on the speed of the elevator car.

8. The elevator control unit (502) according to claim 7, wherein the at least
one value indicating the speed of the elevator car is obtained from at least one
of the following: position sensor; drive; acceleration sensor; magnetic sensor of
door zone sensor unit; which is communicatively coupled to the control unit.
9. The elevator control unit (502) according to any of claims 7 or 8,
wherein the elevator control unit (502) is further configured to:
- determine if the speed of the elevator car meets the dynamically adjusted
levelling speed limit of the elevator Gar, and

- control the movement of the elevator car, if the speed of the elevator car is
determined to meet the dynamically adjusted levelling speed limit of the
elevator car.
10. The elevator control unit (502) according to any of claims 7-9, wherein
the at least one value indicating the speed of the elevator car is a position of
the elevator car and the elevator control unit (502) is further configured to:
- obtain an indication if the position of the elevator car is determined to be
outside the zone,
- determine if at least one door is open, and
- stop the movement of the elevator car, if the position of the elevator car is
determined to be outside the zone and the at least one door is open.

11. The elevator control unit (502) according to any of claims 7-10, wherein
the zone is an unlocking zone, wherein the unlocking zone is a zone extending
from an upper limit above a floor level of a landing and a lower limit below the
floor level of the landing, in which the elevator car floor is in order to enable at
least one door to be unlocked.
12. The elevator control unit (502) according to any of claims 7-11, wherein
the indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive to the zone is obtained
from a door zone sensor unit.
13. An elevator system for dynamically adjusting a levelling speed limit of
an elevator car during a levelling operation, the elevator system comprising:

- at least one of the following: position sensor, drive, acceleration sensor, door
zone sensor unit comprising at least one magnetic sensor; and
- an elevator control unit configured to:

- obtain an indication that the elevator car is detected to arrive to a
zone,
- obtain at least one value indicating speed of the elevator car, in
response to detecting that the elevator car arrives to the zone, and
- dynamically adjust the levelling speed limit of the elevator car based
on the speed of the elevator car,

wherein the elevator control unit and the at least one of the following: position
sensor, drive, acceleration sensor, door zone sensor unit, are communicatively
coupled to each other.