Safety system and method using a safety system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12349060-B2
Application number	US-202217879286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2022
Priority date	Aug 3, 2021
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A safety system for the localization of at least one spatially variable object having at least one control and evaluation unit, having at least one radio location system, having at least one spatially resolving sensor for the detection of an object in a detection zone of the spatially resolving sensor, wherein the radio location system has at least three arranged radio stations, wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged at the object, wherein position data of the radio transponder and thus position data of the object can be determined by means of the radio location system, wherein the position data can be transmitted from the radio station of the radio location system to the control and evaluation unit, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to cyclically detect the position data of the radio transponder and information on the object in the detection zone can be determined by means of the spatially resolving sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A safety system for localizing at least one spatially variable object,
having at least one control and evaluation unit, and having at least one radio location system,
having at least one spatially resolving sensor for the detection of at least one object in a detection zone of the spatially resolving sensor,
wherein the radio location system has at least three arranged radio stations;
wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged at the at least one object;
wherein position data of the at least one radio transponder and thus position data of the at least one object is determined by means of the radio location system;
wherein the position data is transmitted from the radio stations of the radio location system to the control and evaluation unit;
wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to cyclically detect the position data of the at least one radio transponder,
and information on the at least one object in the detection zone is determined by means of the spatially resolving sensor;
wherein the information on the at least one object is transmitted from the spatially resolving sensor to the control and evaluation unit;
wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the position data of the radio location system and the information data of the spatially resolving sensor; and
wherein bidirectional radio communication is provided between the radio stations and the at least one radio transponder,
characterized in that each radio transponder, from among the at least one radio transponder, has safety signal outputs;
and that each radio transponder, from among the at least one radio transponder, has safety signal inputs,
wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to compare the position data of the radio location system and the information of the spatially resolving sensor and, on an agreement, to permit the at least one object having the at least one radio transponder in a protected field of the spatially resolving sensor and not to output any object determination signal, whereby a movable machine is in an active state.

2. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein if the at least one object is determined by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into unrestricted operation with non-reduced detection capability;
and if no object is determined by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into restricted operation with reduced detection capability.

3. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein if the at least one object is determined by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into unrestricted operation without an energy saving mode;
and if no object is determined by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into restricted operation with an energy saving mode.

4. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to compare the position data of the radio location system and the information of the sensor and, on an agreement, to increase a safety level of the safety system and, on no agreement, to lower the safety level of the safety system.

5. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a first inspection unit is provided, with the first inspection unit being connected to the control and evaluation unit, and with the control and evaluation unit being checked by the first inspection unit.

6. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each radio transponder, from among the at least one radio transponder, has a second inspection unit.

7. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to compare the position data of the radio location system and the information of the spatially resolving sensor and, if no position data of the radio location system are available, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into unrestricted operation with non-reduced detection capability.

8. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each radio transponder, from among the at least one radio transponder, has identification, with each said radio transponder being associated with a respective object, whereby the control and evaluation unit is configured to distinguish the objects.

9. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each radio transponder, from among the at least one radio transponder, is configured to transmit safety control signals for an initiation of risk reduction measures to the control and evaluation unit.

10. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to transmit safety control signals for an introduction of risk reduction measures to the at least one radio transponder.

11. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the radio location system is an ultra-wideband radio location system, with the frequency used being in the range from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz, with the transmission energy amounting to a maximum of 0.5 mW.

12. A method using a safety system for localizing at least one spatially variable object, having at least one control and evaluation unit, and having at least one radio location system,
having at least one spatially resolving sensor for the detection of at least one object in a detection zone of the spatially resolving sensor,
wherein the radio location system has at least three arranged radio stations;
wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged at the object;
wherein position data of the at least one radio transponder and thus position data of the object are determined by means of the radio location system;
wherein the position data are transmitted from the radio stations of the radio location system to the control and evaluation unit,
wherein the control and evaluation unit cyclically detects the position data of the at least one radio transponder,
and information on the object in the detection zone is determined by means of the spatially resolving sensor;
wherein the information on the object in the detection zone is transmitted from the spatially resolving sensor to the control and evaluation unit;
wherein the control and evaluation unit evaluates the position data of the radio location system and the information of the spatially resolving sensor; and
wherein bidirectional radio communication is provided between the radio stations and the at least one radio transponder,
characterized in that each radio transponder, from the at least one radio transponder, has safety signal outputs;
and that each radio transponder, from the at least one radio transponder, has safety signal inputs,
wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to compare the position data of the radio location system and the information of the spatially resolving sensor and, on an agreement, to permit the at least one object having the at least one radio transponder in a protected field of the spatially resolving sensor and not to output any object determination signal, whereby a movable machine is in an active state.

13. A safety system for localizing at least one spatially variable object, having at least one control and evaluation unit, and having at least one radio location system,
having at least one spatially resolving sensor for the detection of at least one object in a detection zone of the spatially resolving

Assignees

• Sick Ag

Inventors

• Hammes Markus

Classifications

• G01S13/86

  Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder · CPC title

• G08B21/02

  Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons · CPC title

• F16P3/147

  using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar · CPC title

• F16P3/144

  using light grids · CPC title

• F16P3/142

  using image capturing devices · CPC title