Safety system and method using a safety system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12504121-B2
Application number	US-202318508537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2023
Priority date	Nov 15, 2022
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A method using a safety system for localizing a person and/or object in a monitored zone having a control and evaluation unit, having at least one radio location system for the position determination of the person and/or object in the monitored zone, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to evaluate position data of the radio location system and status information of a spatially resolving sensor and, if a person and/or object is/are determined in the monitored zone by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into operation at a non-reduced safety level and, if no person and/or no object is/are determined in the monitored zone by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into operation at a reduced safety level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A safety system for localizing a person and/or an object in a monitored zone having a control and evaluation unit, having at least one radio location system for the position determination of the person and/or of the object in the monitored zone, having at least one spatially resolving sensor for the presence determination of the person and/or of the object in a protected field of the spatially resolving sensor, wherein the protected field is arranged within the monitored zone,
wherein the radio location system has arranged radio stations, wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged at the person and/or the object; wherein position data of the person and/or the object can be determined by means of the radio location system, wherein the position data can be transmitted from the radio stations of the radio location system to the control and evaluation unit, and status information on the protected field can be determined by means of the spatially resolving sensor, wherein status information on the protected field can be 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 localization system and the status information of the spatially resolving sensor; and if a person and/or an object is/are determined in the monitored zone by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into operation at a non-reduced safety level, and, if no person and/or no object is/are determined in the monitored zone by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit is configured to set the spatially resolving sensor into operation at a reduced safety level, and wherein a control and evaluation unit of the spatially resolving sensor is configured in operation at a reduced safety level to carry out fewer fault control measures.

2 . The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a control and evaluation unit of the spatially resolving sensor is configured in operation at a reduced safety level to carry out extraneous light tests with a lower quality due to lower demands with respect to an extraneous light resistance.

3 . The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a control and evaluation unit of the spatially resolving sensor is configured in operation at a reduced safety level of the spatially resolving sensor only to output a warning from the control and evaluation unit if contamination of the front screen of the spatially resolving sensor has been detected, but switch outputs of the spatially resolving sensor remain active.

4 . The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a control and evaluation unit of the spatially resolving sensor is configured in operation at a reduced safety level to carry out fewer or no multiple evaluations.

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 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.

7 . The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the spatially resolving sensor is an ultrasound sensor or a radar sensor.

8 . The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the spatially resolving sensor is configured for an least spatial monitoring of a monitored zone.

9 . A safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the spatially resolving sensor is a laser scanner, a safety laser scanner, a 3D camera, a stereo camera, or a time of flight camera.

10 . The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a control and evaluation unit of the spatially resolving sensor is configured in operation at a reduced safety level to carry out an evaluation on the basis of a higher minimal remission of the object.

11 . The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the spatially resolving sensor is a light grid.

12 . The safety system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein a control and evaluation unit of the light grid is configured in operation at a reduced safety level to carry out an evaluation on the basis of a larger opening angle of light receivers of the light grid.

13 . A method using a safety system for localizing a person and/or an object in a monitored zone having a control and evaluation unit, having at least one radio location system for the position determination of the person and/or object in the monitored zone, having at least one spatially resolving sensor for the presence determination of the person and/or the object in a protected field of the spatially resolving sensor, wherein the protected field is arranged within the monitored zone,
wherein the radio location system has arranged radio stations, wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged at the person and/or the object, wherein position data of the person and/or the object are determined by means of the radio location system, wherein the position data are transmitted from the radio station of the radio location system to the control and evaluation units and status information on the protected field are determined by means of the spatially resolving sensor, wherein status information on the protected field are 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 localization system and the status information of the spatially resolving sensor; and, if a person and/or an object is/are determined in the monitored zone by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit sets the spatially resolving sensor into operation at a non-reduced safety level, and, if no person and/or no object is/are determined in the monitored zone by the radio location system, the control and evaluation unit sets the spatially resolving sensor into operation at a reduced safety level, and wherein a control and evaluation unit of the spatially resolving sensor is configured in operation at a reduced safety level to carry out fewer fault control measures.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein switching over of the different safety levels takes place by an operating mode switchover.

15 . A safety system for localizing a person and/or an object in a monitored zone having a control and evaluation unit, having at least one radio location system for the position determination of the person and/or of the object in the monitored zone, having at least one spatially resolving sensor for the presence determination of the person and/or of the object in a protected field of the spatially resolving sensor, wherein the protected field is arranged within the monitored zone,
wherein the radio location system has arranged radio stations, wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged at the person and/or the object; wherein position data of the person and/or the object can be determined by means of the radio location system, wherein the position data can be transmitted from the radio stations of the radio location system to the control and evaluation unit, and status information on the protected field can be determined by means of the spatially resolving sensor, wherein status information on the protected field can be

Assignees

• Sick Ag

Inventors

• Feth Hagen
• Sixt Andreas
• Müller Angelina
• Waibel Holger

Classifications

• G05B19/406

  characterised by monitoring or safety (G05B19/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S2013/93185

  Controlling the brakes · CPC title

• F16P3/142

  using image capturing devices · CPC title

• G01S13/862

  Combination of radar systems with sonar systems · CPC title

• G01S13/42

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S13/46) · CPC title