System, in particular an installation, including a mobile part that is movable along a coding region, and method for operating such a system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12093778-B2
Application number	US-202017634689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2020
Priority date	Aug 13, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A system, e.g., an installation, includes a mobile part that is movable along a coding region. A camera is arranged on the mobile part and is connected to an evaluation unit of the mobile part. The coding region has coded regions arranged successively. A one-part or multi-part cover covers coded regions, and has an opening through which an image of the first coded region can be taken by the camera. The evaluation unit is adapted to temporally recurrently determined the deviation of the first coded region with respect to the viewing direction of the camera and/or to the straight line, which is aligned in parallel with the viewing direction of the camera and passes through the central point of the image sensor of the camera, and/or to a reference point in the coding region and immobile relative to the mobile part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a mobile part movable along a coding region and including a camera connected to an evaluation unit of the mobile part, the coding region including successively arranged coded regions, each coded region including a code; and
a one-part or multi-part cover that covers the code of at least one of the coded regions;
wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to temporally recurrently determine a deviation of a first coded region with respect to a viewing direction of the camera and/or to a straight line aligned in parallel with the viewing direction of the camera and passing through a central point of an image sensor of the camera and/or to a reference point arranged in the coding region and movable relative to the mobile part.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation unit is arranged as an image evaluation unit, the coded regions are arranged successively in a direction of travel of the mobile part, the cover covers the code of coded regions adjacent to the first coded region and covers toward the camera, the evaluation unit is adapted to temporally recurrently determine the deviation by evaluating an image taken of the first coded region, and the deviation includes a distance.

3. A system, comprising:
a mobile part movable along a coding region and including a camera connected to an evaluation unit of the mobile part, the coding region including successively arranged coded regions; and
a one-part or multi-part cover that covers at least one of the coded regions;
wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to temporally recurrently determine a deviation of a first coded region with respect to a viewing direction of the camera and/or to a straight line aligned in parallel with the viewing direction of the camera and passing through a central point of an image sensor of the camera and/or to a reference point arranged in the coding region and movable relative to the mobile part; and
wherein the cover includes at least one part of a cover element and borders the first coded region, each coded region including a respective position in the system as information, each coded region having a first code encoded in a first color and a second code encoded in a second color, the first and second codes each encoding same information, the mobile part including a control device adapted to control a color of emitted light of a lighting device of the mobile part, the control device adapted to recognize and decode the first code and the second code by illumination by the lighting device, the system including a comparison device adapted to compare respectively decoded bits of information with each other and to trigger an error signal if the bits of information do not match.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the cover element includes a sheet metal part and/or an adhesive tape.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to monitor the temporally recurrently determined deviations for impermissibly large outliers.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to, based on a regression line determined from the temporally recurrently determined deviations, monitor a coefficient of determination, a residual sum of squares, or a total sum of squares for an exceeding of a threshold value.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to monitor the temporally recurrently determined deviations for impermissibly large outliers, at a constant speed of the mobile part.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is adapted to cover the code of a closest adjacent coded region and the subsequent coded regions.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is adapted to cover the code of a closest adjacent coded region and subsequent coded regions without interruption.

10. The system according to claim 1 , the cover borders the first coded region.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile part is arranged as a rail vehicle and/or as an overhead monorail vehicle, the coding region extends parallel to rails, and the coded regions are arranged successively in a direction of the rails.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the code includes a two-dimensional code.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the two-dimensional code includes a QR code.

14. A method for operating a system as recited in claim 1 , comprising:
temporally recurrently recording, by the camera, an image of the first coded region through an opening of the cover;
determining, by evaluating images taken of the first coded region, respective deviations of the first coded region with respect to the viewing direction of the camera and/or to the straight line aligned in parallel with the viewing direction of the camera and passes through the central point of the image sensor of the camera and/or to the reference point that is in the coding region and is immobile relative to the mobile part; and
monitoring the determined deviations for an impermissibly large outlier.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the temporally recurrently recording is performed during movement of the mobile part at a constant speed, the deviations include distances.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a coefficient of determination, a residual sum of squares, or a total sum of squares for an exceeding of a threshold value.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a coefficient of determination, a residual sum of squares, or a total sum of squares for an exceeding of a threshold value based on a regression line determined from temporally recurrently determined deviations.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the cover includes at least one part of a cover element, and the cover borders the first coded region.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the cover element includes a sheet metal part and/or an adhesive tape.

20. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising determining whether the deviations are within a permissible value range.

21. A method, for operating a system that includes a mobile part movable along a coding region and including a camera connected to an evaluation unit of the mobile part, the coding region including successively arranged coded regions, each coded region including a code, and a one-part or multi-part cover that covers the code of at least one of the coded regions, the evaluation unit adapted to temporally recurrently determine a deviation of a first coded region with respect to a viewing direction of the camera and/or to a straight line aligned in parallel with the viewing direction of the camera and passing through a central point of an image sensor of the camera and/or to a reference point arranged in the coding region and movable relative to the mobile part, comprising:
temporally recurrently recording, by the camera, an image of the first coded region through an opening of the cover;
determining, by evaluating images taken of the first coded region, respective deviations of the first coded region with respect to the viewing direction of the camera and/or to the straight line aligned in parallel with the viewing direction of the camera and passes through the central point of the image sensor of the camera and/or to the reference point that is in the coding region and is immobile relative to the mobile part; and
monitoring the determine

Assignees

• Sew Eurodrive Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Erb Frank

Classifications

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• B61L25/025 Primary

  Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates · CPC title

• B66F9/0755

  Position control; Position detectors · CPC title

• B66C13/18

  Control systems or devices (exclusively for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/40) · CPC title

• B61L3/065

  controlling optically · CPC title