Radio frequency identifier apparatus for access control and user identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11527122-B2
Application number	US-202117237920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2021
Priority date	Apr 22, 2021
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A component includes a housing mounted at an entry point of an enclosure protecting a machine. The component includes a first RFID sensor, in the housing, that reads a first RFID tag in close proximity to the first RFID sensor indicating a closed status of a movable barrier of the enclosure at the entry point. Opening of the movable barrier allows entry to the enclosure. The component includes a second RFID sensor, in the housing, that reads a second RFID tag of an authorized person. The component includes a barrier access module that sends an open alert that the movable barrier is in an open state in response to the first RFID sensor not being close enough to read the first RFID tag, and an identification module that sends tag information unique to a person from the second RFID tag.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A component comprising:
a housing mounted at an entry point of an enclosure, the enclosure limiting access to a machine of an industrial operation;
a first radio frequency identification (“RFID”) sensor, located in the housing, configured to read a first RFID tag in close proximity to the first RFID sensor indicating a closed status of a movable barrier at the entry point, wherein opening of the movable barrier allows entry to the enclosure, and wherein the first RFID tag is mounted on the movable barrier;
a second RFID sensor, located in the housing, configured to read a second RFID tag of an authorized person;
a barrier access module configured to send an open alert that the movable barrier is in an open state in response to the first RFID sensor not being close enough to read the first RFID tag; and
an identification module configured to send tag information from the second RFID tag, wherein the tag information is unique to the authorized person;
a machine safety module configured to:
send a first safety instruction to the machine in response to, within an entry window of time, receiving the open alert, receiving the tag information and confirming that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure; and
send a second safety instruction in response to, within the entry window of time, receiving the open alert and without receiving tag information or confirming that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure,
wherein the first safety instruction differs from the second safety instruction and wherein the first safety instruction commands the machine according to an authorized person within the enclosure protocol and the second safety instruction commands the machine according to an unauthorized person within the enclosure protocol, wherein the authorized person within the enclosure protocol is less restrictive than the unauthorized person within the enclosure protocol in terms of actions to prevent injury,

wherein at least a portion of the barrier access module, the identification module, and the machine safety module comprise one or more of hardware circuits, a programmable hardware device and program code, the program code stored on one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media.

2. The component of claim 1 , further comprising a machine alert module configured to send a safety alert to the machine in response to the open alert.

3. The component of claim 1 , further comprising a motion sensor configured to sense movement within the enclosure indicative of one or more people within the enclosure, wherein the machine safety module:
sends a third safety instruction to the machine in response to the first safety instruction and the sensed movement in the enclosure, the third safety instruction according to an authorized person within the enclosure protocol, and
sends a fourth safety instruction to the machine in response to the second safety instruction and the sensed movement in the enclosure, the fourth safety instruction according to an unauthorized person within the enclosure protocol.

4. The component of claim 3 , wherein in response to the motion sensor detecting more people within the enclosure than a number of authorized people for which tag information is received and for which the tag information is confirmed to belong to an authorized person currently authorized to be within the enclosure, the machine safety module sends the fourth safety instruction to the machine.

5. The component of claim 3 , wherein the third safety instruction and the fourth safety instruction comprise one or more commands responsive to the motion sensor detecting movement, position and speed indicative of a person moving toward and reaching the machine, the one or more commands comprising action to prevent injury of a person in the enclosure.

6. The component of claim 3 , wherein the motion sensor comprises a three-dimensional motion sensor positioned to detect position, direction of travel and speed of personnel in the enclosure.

7. The component of claim 3 , further comprising an exit module configured to, in response to the motion sensor determining people within the enclosure have left the enclosure, send a notification that the enclosure does not have people in the enclosure.

8. The component of claim 1 , further comprising an identity module configured to determine the identity of a person associated with the tag information and sending the identity of the person associated with the tag information.

9. The component of claim 1 , further comprising an unlocking module configured to unlock the movable barrier in response to confirming that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure.

10. The component of claim 1 , further comprising a third RFID sensor positioned to detect the second RFID tag approaching the movable barrier from the enclosure.

11. A method comprising:
reading, using a first radio frequency identification (“RFID”) sensor, a first RFID tag in close proximity to the first RFID sensor indicating a closed status of a movable barrier at an entry point of an enclosure, the enclosure limiting access to a machine of an industrial operation, wherein opening of the movable barrier allows entry to the enclosure and wherein the first RFID sensor is in a housing mounted at the entry point, and wherein the first RFID tag is mounted on the movable barrier;
reading, using a second RFID sensor located in the housing, a second RFID tag of an authorized person;
sending an open alert that the movable barrier is in an open state in response to the first RFID sensor not being close enough to read the first RFID tag;
sending tag information from the second RFID tag, wherein the tag information is unique to the authorized person;
sending a safety alert to the machine in response to the open alert;
sending a first safety instruction to the machine in response to, within an entry window of time, receiving the open alert, receiving the tag information and confirming that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure; and
sending a second safety instruction in response to, within the entry window of time, receiving the open alert and without receiving tag information or confirming that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure,
wherein the first safety instruction commands the machine according to an authorized person within the enclosure protocol and the second safety instruction commands the machine according to an unauthorized person within the enclosure protocol, and
wherein the authorized person within the enclosure protocol is less restrictive than the unauthorized person within the enclosure protocol in terms of actions to prevent injury.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining the identity of a person associated with the tag information and sending the identity of the person associated with the tag information.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising unlocking the movable barrier in response to confirming that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
sensing, using a motion sensor, movement within the enclosure indicative of one or more people in the enclosure;
sending a third safety instruction to the machine in response to the first safety instruction and the sensed movement in the enclosure, the third safety instructi

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Zomchek Kevin
• Cai Yongyao
• Jaeger Rebecca R
• Nair Suresh R
• Lane Lee A
• Taylor Brian J
• Sacherski Burt
• Killian Ashley M
• Poublon Michelle L
• Gao Linxi
• Wolfe Timothy P
• Foster Wayne R

Classifications

• G07C9/28

  the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence · CPC title

• G07C9/22 Primary

  in combination with an identity check of the pass holder · CPC title

• G07C9/10

  Movable barriers with registering means · CPC title

• G07C3/00

  Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles · CPC title

• G07C1/00 Primary

  Registering, indicating or recording the time of events or elapsed time, e.g. time-recorders for work people (registering or indicating the working of machines or vehicles G07C3/00, G07C5/00) · CPC title