Personal protective equipment safety system using contextual information from industrial control systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12472391-B2
Application number	US-202418939207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2024
Priority date	Jun 22, 2018
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

In some examples, a system includes an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes a communication component; an industrial controller device that is configured to control an industrial device and includes a communication component; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the article of PPE and the industrial controller device, wherein the computing device is configured to: receive PPE data from the article of PPE and industrial controller data from the industrial controller device; determine, based at least in part on a set of the PPE data that temporally corresponds to a set of the industrial controller data, an occurrence of a safety event; and perform, based at least in part on the determination of the safety event, at least one operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) that includes a communication component; an industrial controller device that is configured to control an industrial device and includes a communication component; and a computing device communicatively coupled to the article of PPE and the industrial controller device, wherein the computing device comprises:
one or more computer processors; and
a memory comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more computer processors cause the one or more computer processors to:
receive PPE data from the article of PPE and industrial controller data from the industrial controller device;
determine an identifier of a worker that corresponds to the article of PPE;
select, based at least in part on the identifier of a worker, a training history that indicates training completed by the worker;
select, based at least in part on an industrial controller identifier of the set of industrial controller data that corresponds to the industrial controller device, a training rule that is configured for the industrial controller device; and
determine, based at least in part on (i) a set of the PPE data that temporally corresponds to a set of the industrial controller data, and (ii) a determination that the training history completed by the worker does not satisfy the training rule configured for the industrial controller device, an occurrence of a safety event; and
perform, based at least in part on the determination of the occurrence of the safety event, at least one operation.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the worker is a first worker and the training history is a first training history, wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
identify a second worker associated with a second training history, and wherein the second training history satisfies the training rule configured for the instruction controller device; and generate for output a recommendation that the second worker operate the industrial device.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
determine an identifier of a worker associated with the article of PPE; select, based at least in part on the identifier of the worker, at least one authorization element that indicates whether the worker is authorized to operate the industrial device; select, based at least in part on an industrial controller identifier of the set of industrial controller data that corresponds to the industrial controller device, an authorization rule configured for the industrial controller device; and determine the safety event further based on a determination by the computing device that the authorization element for the worker does not satisfy the authorization rule configured for the industrial controller device.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the worker is a first worker and the authorization element is a first authorization element, wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
identify a second worker associated with a second authorization element, wherein the second authorization element satisfies the authorization rule configured for the industrial controller device; and generate for output a recommendation that the second worker operate the industrial device.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
select, from the set of PPE data, at least one PPE identifier that corresponds to the article of PPE; determine, from the set of industrial controller data and based at least in part on an industrial controller identifier that corresponds to the industrial controller device, a work zone that includes the industrial device, wherein the work zone comprises a region encompassed by a defined boundary; and determine the safety event further based on a determination by the computing device that the article of PPE does not satisfy an access rule configured to restrict entry into the work zone that includes the industrial controller device.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
select, based at least in part on an industrial controller identifier of the set of industrial controller data that corresponds to the industrial controller device, operating data of the industrial controller device that indicates one or more operating metrics for the industrial device, wherein the one or more operating metrics indicate data about operation of the industrial device; and determine the safety event further based on an identifier associated with a worker and a determination by the computing device that at least one operating metric for the industrial device does not satisfy an operating rule configured for the industrial device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
select, from the set of PPE data, first positional context data that indicates at least one physical position of a first worker associated with the article of PPE; and determine the safety event further based on the first positional context data and second positional context data associated with at least one of a second worker in proximity to the first worker or the industrial device in proximity to the first worker.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first positional context data comprises at least one of orientation data that indicates an orientation of the first worker or location data that indicates a location of the first worker.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
detect an input that initiates a broadcast of diagnostic self-check messages; identify, in response to the input, at least the article of PPE; broadcast, based on identifying the article of PPE, a diagnostic self-check message to the article of PPE, wherein the article of PPE receives the self-check message at a communication component of the article of PPE; in response to receiving a diagnostic acknowledgement message from the article of PPE that has performed a diagnostic self-check, determine whether the set of diagnostic acknowledgement messages satisfy one or more self-check criteria based at least in part on the set of the industrial controller data; and determine the safety event further based on whether the one or more self-check criteria are satisfied.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein to perform, based at least in part on the determination of the safety event, the at least one operation, the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
in response to determining the safety event, generate for output at least one of an audible indication, a visual indication, or a tactile indication.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one of the visual or audible indication includes a message that indicates that operation of the industrial device will stop after a threshold period of time.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein to perform, based at least in part on the determination of the safety event, the at least one operation, the memory comprises instructions that when executed cause the one or more computer processors to:
send the output to at least one of the article of PPE, the industrial controller device, or a

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Awiszus Steven T
• Wurm Michael G
• Stein David R
• Kusters Johannes P M

Classifications

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• G08B21/0438

  Sensor means for detecting · CPC title

• G07C1/10

  together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity · CPC title

• G06Q10/06398

  Performance of employee with respect to a job function · CPC title

• G06F18/214

  Generating training patterns; Bootstrap methods, e.g. bagging or boosting · CPC title