Safety control device, method of controlling safety control device, and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10521625-B2
Application number	US-201815893708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2017
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A safety control device, a method of controlling safety control device, and a recording medium are provided. A detection zone in which the safety of an operator can be secured and a decrease in an operation rate of a machine can be minimized is set. A safety controller sets a detection zone for executing a safety operation when it is determined that an operator has entered for each operator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A safety control device for executing a safety operation when it is determined that an operator has entered a detection zone in a dangerous region including a region where an operation space of a machine overlaps an operation space of the operator, the safety control device comprising:
an acquisition unit configured to acquire identification information of each of a plurality of operators simultaneously present within the dangerous region;
a setting unit configured to set different detection zones respectively for each operator based on the corresponding identification information; and
a position identification unit configured to identify a position of each of the plurality of operators whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit in the dangerous region,
wherein the safety operation is executed when at least one of the plurality of operators whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit enters the detection zone set for the at least one operator by the setting unit.

2. The safety control device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit acquires the identification information of the operator within the dangerous region by using at least one of an image obtained by photographing the dangerous region and a signal from a wireless tag storing the identification information of the operator that is a wireless tag carried by the operator.

3. The safety control device according to claim 2 , further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the operator having entered the detection zone that the operator has entered the detection zone set for the operator when the operator whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit has entered the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit.

4. The safety control device according to claim 3 , further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the operator whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit of the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit.

5. The safety control device according to claim 3 , wherein the setting unit sets a three-dimensional detection zone by using a captured image of the dangerous region photographed by at least two cameras.

6. The safety control device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the notification unit causes a wearable display terminal worn by the operator to display the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit, and
wherein the acquisition unit acquires the identification information of the operator from a tag in which the identification information of the operator is described that is a tag provided in the wearable display terminal.

7. The safety control device according to claim 2 , further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the operator whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit of the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit.

8. The safety control device according to claim 7 ,
wherein the notification unit causes a wearable display terminal worn by the operator to display the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit, and
wherein the acquisition unit acquires the identification information of the operator from a tag in which the identification information of the operator is described that is a tag provided in the wearable display terminal.

9. The safety control device according to claim 2 , wherein the setting unit sets a three-dimensional detection zone by using a captured image of the dangerous region photographed by at least two cameras.

10. The safety control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the operator having entered the detection zone that the operator has entered the detection zone set for the operator when the operator whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit has entered the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit.

11. The safety control device according to claim 10 , further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the operator whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit of the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit.

12. The safety control device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the notification unit causes a wearable display terminal worn by the operator to display the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit, and
wherein the acquisition unit acquires the identification information of the operator from a tag in which the identification information of the operator is described that is a tag provided in the wearable display terminal.

13. The safety control device according to claim 10 , wherein the setting unit sets a three-dimensional detection zone by using a captured image of the dangerous region photographed by at least two cameras.

14. The safety control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification unit configured to notify the operator whose identification information is acquired by the acquisition unit of the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit.

15. The safety control device according to claim 14 ,
wherein the notification unit causes a wearable display terminal worn by the operator to display the detection zone set for the operator by the setting unit, and
wherein the acquisition unit acquires the identification information of the operator from a tag in which the identification information of the operator is described that is a tag provided in the wearable display terminal.

16. The safety control device according to claim 15 , wherein the setting unit sets a three-dimensional detection zone by using a captured image of the dangerous region photographed by at least two cameras.

17. The safety control device according to claim 14 , wherein the setting unit sets a three-dimensional detection zone by using a captured image of the dangerous region photographed by at least two cameras.

18. The safety control device according to claim 1 , wherein the setting unit sets a three-dimensional detection zone by using a captured image of the dangerous region photographed by at least two cameras.

19. A method of controlling a safety control device for executing a safety operation when it is determined that an operator has entered a detection zone in a dangerous region including a region where an operation space of a machine overlaps an operation space of the operator, the method comprising:
an acquisition step of acquiring identification information of each of a plurality of operators simultaneously present within the dangerous region;
a setting step of setting different detection zones respectively for each operator based on the corresponding identification information; and
a position identification step of identifying a position of each of the plurality of operators whose identification information is acquired in the acquisition step in the dangerous region,
wherein the safety operation is executed when at least one of the plurality of operators whose identification information is acquired in the acquisition step enters the detection zone set for the at least one operator in the setting step.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing an information processing program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 19 .

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Takeshima Masatoshi
• Tani Yoshiharu
• Osako Kazunori
• Higuchi Toshiyuki
• Hashimoto Minoru
• Kamisono Daichi
• Akagi Tetsuya

Classifications

• G08B13/24

  by interference with electromagnetic field distribution · CPC title

• B25J9/1676

  Avoiding collision or forbidden zones · CPC title

• F16P3/142

  using image capturing devices · CPC title

• B25J19/06

  Safety devices · CPC title

• G08B13/183

  by interruption of a radiation beam or barrier · CPC title