How SoTL™ Works

Advanced Predictive Monitoring for Vertical Transportation & In-Motion Equipment

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Key SoTL™ Features & Capabilities

  • Unified Pipeline: Connects field hardware directly to building owners, facility managers, and service teams through a single architecture.

  • Baseline-Centric Intelligence: Analyzes behavior (e.g., car runs, door cycles, vibration, and releveling) against each individual unit’s historical baseline rather than fixed fleet thresholds.

  • Field-Resilient Architecture: Retains and buffers motion data during power loss or network outages, automatically catching up once connection is restored.

  • Zero-Trust Security: Features outbound-only communications with issued cryptographic device identities, eliminating the need for open inbound network ports.

  • Role-Based Value: Delivers summary insights for building owners while exposing deep diagnostic evidence for service mechanics.

Datahoist graphic showing elevator connected to cloud icon
Datahoist graphic showing the 5 stage SoTL data pipeline.

2. How SoTL™ Works

SoTL™ operates through a continuous, five-stage information processing pipeline—Sense, Gateway, Link, Fleet, and Learn—designed to transform raw physical movement into operational evidence.

The 5-Stage Pipeline

  • Sense: Direct car-level sensing captures door cycles, car runs, vibration, and motion signatures where movement actually occurs.

  • Gateway: Edge software processes raw sensor data locally, reducing network load while enabling remote firmware updates without site visits.

  • Link: Outbound-only encrypted communication safely routes data through cellular or building Wi-Fi behind firewalls.

  • Fleet: Centralized device management tracks live statuses, desired vs. actual device states, configuration changes, and audit trails.

  • Learn: Analytics engines establish unit baselines, evaluate open/close and run/relevel trends, and build weekly performance reports.

3. Inside SoTL™ Architecture

The SoTL™ architecture is structured into three integrated layers that connect field hardware, management software, and analytical intelligence.

Core Architectural Layers

  • SoTL™ Device Management (Cloud Layer): Tracks online/offline status, operational modes (production, training, diagnostic), and configuration audit trails, automatically recognizing factory-enrolled units upon first power-up.

  • SoTL™ Gateway (Edge Layer): Manages local data collection and storage during power or network failures, reducing noise before sending event summaries to the cloud.

  • SoTL™ Analytics (Learning Layer): Evaluates equipment trends over time, distinguishing open vs. close cycles, run vs. relevel events, and actual vs. expected duty cycles.

  • Remote Fleet Administration: Enables firmware updates, reboots, and diagnostic tweaks without requiring physical technician visits.

Datahoist graphic showing data layers and data architecture.

4. SoTL5mini™ Hardware

The SoTL5mini™ is a compact, door-mounted hardware unit running on the core SoTL™ platform, providing an efficient monitoring option for existing elevator assets without requiring a complex IT infrastructure project.

Specifications & Features

  • Form Factor: Compact footprint ($95\times110\times28\text{ mm}$ with mounting flanges) designed for direct installation on elevator car doors.

  • Comprehensive Tracking: Monitors up/down car runs, door open/close cycles, incomplete cycles, releveling, vibration, and motion signatures.

  • Seamless Installation: Operates on 110 VAC car-top power (routed with door travel cables) and installed by certified elevator mechanics.

  • Flexible Connectivity: Supports cellular or building Wi-Fi using outbound-only security protocols.

  • Pre-Enrolled Security: Shipped with unique serial identities (S5M-prefix) that auto-register in the fleet management cloud upon initial power-up.

SOTL5mini product image small gray box
Datahoist representation of reports on laptop monitor.

5. Multi-Horizon Reporting

SoTL™ converts raw motion data into three distinct operational visibility horizons, serving different levels of organizational decision-making.

Reporting Horizons

  • Building Overview (Immediate): Displays real-time equipment status, door cycles, incomplete closes, and baseline-derived health badges to identify weekly priorities.

  • 6-Month Trends (Developing Behavior): Tracks performance degradation over time (e.g., open vs. close or up vs. down modes) to provide lead time before tenant-visible faults occur.

  • 12-Month Judgment (Long-Term Capital Planning): Analyzes seasonality, verifies past maintenance quality, and measures duty concentration to support budgeting and modernization strategy.

6. Flexible Attachment & Deployment Paths

Overview

SoTL™ accommodates diverse equipment fleets through four flexible attachment approaches, allowing assets to feed into the same unified management system regardless of installation path.

Attachment Options & Deployment Workflow

  • SoTL5mini™: Compact, car-door-mounted monitor ideal for rapid retrofits.

  • SoTL5™: Cartop-mounted sensor package for traditional elevator deployments.

  • SoTL6™: Direct controller connection for elevators, escalators, and complex machinery.

  • Custom Configurations: Tailored sensor and controller integration for mixed or mission-critical fleets (such as airport baggage handling).

  • Simplified Deployment Process: Begins with asset assessment and certified mechanic installation, followed by automatic cloud enrollment and baseline learning—all without requiring special network configurations or open inbound ports.

Datahoist graphic showing the various ways to attach SoTL sensors
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