Power tool accident prevention

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10656602-B2
Application number	US-201916285380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2019
Priority date	Jun 21, 2016
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A power tool accident prevention system receiving images from a static camera of a setup of a power tool, the system comprising: a processor; and a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause the processor to: analyze the images to identify inherent dangers in the setup of the power tool; identify at least one potential cause of an accident based on the identified inherent dangers; and activate an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power tool accident prevention system receiving images from a static camera of a setup of a power tool and an operation of the power tool, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory; the memory storing instructions to cause the processor to:
analyze the images to identify inherent dangers in both of the complete setup of the power tool and the operation of the powertool, irrespective of an environment of the power tool before the setup of the power tool by a user;
identify at least one potential cause of an accident caused by the user while operating the power tool as a result of the identified inherent dangers; and

activate an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.

2. The system of claim 1 ; wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to further analyze at least one image captured by a wearable camera to identify the inherent dangers in the setup of the power tool, and
wherein the emergency safety measure occurs prior to the accident.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:
send a notification to the user alerting a user of the at least one potential cause of the accident.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a lack of use of a safety device by the user, and
wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes an improper use of a safety device by the user.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes identifying, via the images, a hazard in a work area setup.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the hazard includes clutter due to any one of:
debris;
a work piece;
a power cord; and
a work tool.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a mistake while using the power tool or an inherent danger in the setup of the power tool.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at east one potential cause of the accident includes an improper setup for using the power tool, and
wherein the improper setup is determined via a combination of a static camera capturing the setup and a wearable camera worn by the user.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a part of the user being in an operational path of the power tool.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one potential cause of the accident includes a work piece being improperly placed or improperly secured for operation by the power tool, and
wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to send a notification to a second user alerting the second user of the at least one potential cause of the accident.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:
identify a cognitive danger as the potential cause of the accident for the user using the power tool based on cognitive state data received from a wearable.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cognitive danger includes the user being tired.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cognitive danger includes a distraction level of the user.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cognitive danger includes a measurement to determine if the user is under an influence of a substance.

15. The system of claim 3 , wherein the notification includes at least one of:
a sound alert;
a light emitted in a work space visible to the user;
a visual cue to the user; and
an alert image displayed on a screen of a wearable.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the emergency safety measure includes activating a kill switch to turn off the power tool.

17. The system of claim 3 , wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:
activate the emergency safety measure at a predetermined time after the processor sends the notification to the user.

18. The system of claim 3 , wherein the memory further stores instructions to cause the processor to:
activate the emergency safety measure at a predetermined time after a user has ignored the notification sent by the processor, and
wherein the predetermined time is set based on an immediacy of the accident if the user continues to ignore the notification.

19. A power tool accident prevention method, comprising:
receiving images from a static camera of a setup of a power tool and an operation of the power tool;
analyzing the images to identify inherent dangers in both of the complete setup of the power tool and the operation of the power tool, irrespective of an environment of the power tool before the setup of the power tool by a user;
identifying at least one potential cause of an accident caused by the user while operating the power tool as a result of the identified inherent dangers; and
activating an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a power tool accident prevention program, the program causing a computer to perform:
receiving images from a static camera of a setup of a power tool and an operation of the power tool;
analyzing the images to identify inherent dangers in both of the complete setup of the power tool and the operation of the power tool, irrespective of an environment of the power tool before the setup of the power tool by a user;
identifying at least one potential cause of an accident caused by the user while operating the power tool as a result of the identified inherent dangers; and
activating an emergency safety measure of the power tool to avoid the at least one potential cause of the accident.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Castelli Vittorio
• Florian Radu
• Kundu Gourab
• Moon Taesun
• Sil Avirup

Classifications

• G05B2219/37563

  Ccd, tv camera · CPC title

• G05B9/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title