Radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems and methods for changing operator control unit (OCU) configurations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11645482-B2
Application number	US-202117381419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2021
Priority date	Aug 26, 2020
Publication date	May 9, 2023
Grant date	May 9, 2023

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are disclosed of radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems and methods for changing operator control unit (OCU) configurations (e.g., operating frequency, address, operational configuration, etc.). In an exemplary embodiment, a system includes at least one or more radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with at least one or more machines. The at least one or more RFID tags are readable by an RFID reader when the RFID reader and the at least one or more RFID tags are operationally proximate. The at least one or more RFID tags include data useable for changing the configuration of the OCU such that the OCU is configured to be operable with the at least one or more machines.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an operator control unit (OCU);
a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader; and
at least one or more radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with at least one or more industrial machines and readable by the RFID reader when the RFID reader and the at least one or more RFID tags are operationally proximate, the at least one or more RFID tags including data useable for changing a configuration of the OCU characterized in that the OCU is configured to receive the data via the RFID reader from the RFID tags and is further configured to change its configuration correspondingly such that it is operable for remotely controlling and/or telecommanding the at least one or more industrial machines;

wherein:
the OCU, the RFID reader, and/or the at least one or more RFID tags includes a secure protocol for identifying an operator having pre-defined authorization rights; and
the OCU is configured to allow the identified operator to control a specific industrial machine of the at least one or more industrial machines based on the pre-defined authorization rights specifying what control actions the operator is permitted to use for the specific industrial machine, the pre-defined authorization rights including one or more:
powering the specific industrial machine on or off;
starting operation of the specific industrial machine;
stopping operation of the specific industrial machine;
changing operation of the specific industrial machine;
increasing or decreasing speed of the specific industrial machine;
selecting a different mode of operation for the specific industrial machine; and/or
controlling movement of the specific industrial machine.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data of the at least one or more RFID tags includes OCU configuration data useable for changing the configuration of the OCU such that the OCU is configured to be operable with the at least one or more industrial machines.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the OCU configuration data includes one or more of operating frequency, address, and/or operational configuration of the at least one or more industrial machines.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes the RFID reader that is portable and/or manually transportable by an operator of the OCU to a location relative to an RFID tag such that the RFID reader and the RFID tag are operationally proximate to each other and the RFID tag is readable by the RFID reader.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
each said RFID tag is located at, on, or near a corresponding one of the at least one or more industrial machines; and/or
the system includes the OCU having the RFID reader integrated therein such that the OCU and the RFID reader are collectively transportable and/or operable as a single unit; and/or
the RFID reader is coupled for communication with the OCU for communicating the data stored on the at least one or more RFID tags and read by the RFID reader to the OCU.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data is useable for changing the configuration of the OCU such that the OCU is operable only with the at least one or more industrial machines associated with the corresponding at least one or more RFID tags, whereby the OCU is not operable with other adjacent industrial machines.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one or more RFID tags comprise a plurality of RFID tags, each said RFID tag associated with a different industrial machine than the other RFID tags;
each said RFID tag is readable by the RFID reader when operationally proximate to the RFID reader; and
each said RFID tag includes data useable for changing the configuration of the OCU, whereby the OCU is configurable to be operable only with the corresponding industrial machine associated with the RFID tag from which the data was read by the RFID reader and used for changing the configuration of the OCU.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one or more RFID tags comprise a first RFID tag associated with a first industrial machine and a second RFID tag associated with a second industrial machine different than the first industrial machine;
the first RFID tag includes first data useable for changing the configuration of the OCU such that the OCU is configured to be operable with the first industrial machine; and
the second RFID tag includes second data useable for changing the configuration of the OCU such that the OCU is configured to be operable with the second industrial machine.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first data of the first RFID tag is different than the second data of the second RFID tag such that:
when the configuration of the OCU is changed by using and/or according to the first data read from the first RFID tag by the RFID reader, the OCU is configured to be operable with the first industrial machine and is not operable with the second industrial machine; and
when the configuration of the OCU is changed by using and/or according to the second data read from the second RFID tag by the RFID reader, the OCU is configured to be operable with the second industrial machine and is not operable with the first industrial machine.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first data of the first RFID tag includes one or more of operating frequency, address, and/or operational configuration of the first industrial machine, such that the OCU is configurable for remotely controlling and/or telecommanding the first industrial machine but not the second industrial machine; and
the second data of the second RFID tag includes one or more of operating frequency, address, and/or operational configuration of the second industrial machine, such that the OCU is configurable for remotely controlling and/or telecommanding the second industrial machine but not the first industrial machine.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one or more RFID tags comprise a first RFID tag associated with a first group of one or more industrial machines and a second RFID tag associated with a second group of one or more industrial machines different than the first group of one or more industrial machines;
the first RFID tag includes first data useable for changing the configuration of the OCU such that the OCU is configured to be operable with the first group of one or more industrial machines but not the second group of one or more industrial machines; and
the second RFID tag includes second data useable for changing the configuration of the OCU such that the OCU is configured to be operable with the second group of industrial machines but not the first group of one or more industrial machines.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the OCU includes an emergency stop switch configured to, when activated, transmit an emergency stop signal to at least one machine control unit to trigger an emergency stop of the at least one or more industrial machines; and
the at least one or more RFID tags includes data identifying an operator of the OCU and readable by the RFID reader when the RFID reader and the at least one or more RFID tags are operationally proximate;
whereupon activation of the emergency stop switch of the OCU:
the emergency stop signal is transmitted to the at least one machine control unit to thereby trigger the emergency stop of the at least one or more industrial machines; and
the operator's identity based upon the data read from the at least one or more RFID tags by the RFID reader is transmitted to the at least one machine control unit.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one or more industrial machines comprise one or more of

Assignees

• Cattron North America Inc

Inventors

• Stagg David

Classifications

• G06K7/10366 Primary

  the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G06F21/34 Primary

  involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards · CPC title