Method for switching a sensor system between modes and switchable sensor system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9559515-B2
Application number	US-201313928040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2013
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A method for operating a sensor system, having at least one capacitive sensor element, which is attachable to the surface of machines or machine parts, electrical field lines on the sensor element changing in the event of an approach and/or a contact of a body or object, and the at least one sensor element being connected to a control unit, which, based on the detected change of the field lines of the at least one sensor element, triggers a safety function on the machine or the machine part. The at least one sensor element has, in addition to fulfilling the safety function, an operating function, which is concluded from the location of the at least one sensor element and the time curve of the change of the field lines, and the safety function has priority over the operating function in a base state of the sensor system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a sensor system, the sensor system including at least one capacitive sensor element which is attachable to a surface of a machine, the method comprising:
receiving, by a control unit from each respective at least one capacitive sensor element in the sensor system, sensor values reflecting changes in electrical field lines at the respective sensor element based on at least one of an approach and a contact of one of a body and an object with the machine;
analyzing, by the control unit, the received sensor values;
triggering, by the control unit, a safety function of the machine if the control unit determines, based on the analysis, the safety function is warranted;
using the received sensor values for an operating function of the machine, wherein the control unit uses received sensor values from the at least one sensor element both for triggering the safety function of the machine and for the operating function of the machine so that the at least one sensor element also has, in addition to the safety function, an operating function, wherein the control unit responds to the received sensor values in a first way when the control unit is triggering the safety function, and in a second way, different from the first way, when the control unit is using the received sensor values for the control function;
wherein the control unit determines the operating function based on a location of the at least one sensor element and a time curve of the changes in the field lines, and
wherein the control unit prioritizes the functions of the machine and, in a base state of the sensor system, the safety function has priority over the operating function.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disabling, by an operation of a safety switch, the safety function for a temporary time period.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
automatically triggering, by the control unit and based on the disabling of the safety switch, the operating function of the machine.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the safety function of the at least one sensor element has at least two different switching states, and wherein each one of the at least two different switching states is (i) selected as a function of a detected distance of one of the body and the object from the machine and (ii) assigned to a distance range,
for each one of the at least two different switching states, the safety function safely limits a maximum speed of the machine, and
the control unit is configured to trigger the operating function at a same time as the safety function.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the safety function of the at least one sensor element has at least three different switching states, and wherein each one of the at least three different switching states is: (i) selected as a function of a detected distance of one of the body and the object from the machine and (ii) assigned to a distance range, and
for two of the at least three different switching states, the safety function safely limits a maximum speed of the machine and for a third one of the at least three different switching states, the safety function completely stops the machine.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein in a first one of the at least two different switching states the maximum speed of the machine is limited to a first value and in a second one of the at least two different switching states the maximum speed is limited to a second value that is higher than the first value.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first one of the at least two different switching states is associated with when the detected distance falls within a first range from the machine and the second one of the at least two different switching states is associated when the detected distance falls within a second range from the machine, the second range being greater than and outside of the first range.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating function has multiple operating modes including at least:
a first operating mode, wherein during the first operating mode the sensor system is taught a gesture by storing sensor values during an execution of the gesture by an operator, and
a second operating mode, wherein during the second operating mode the machine executes an action associated with the gesture.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein when the operating function is in the second operating mode, the control unit:
compiles the received sensor value from each of the at least one sensor element,
compares the compiled sensor values to an average signal curve having an associated stored gesture, and
when the comparison indicates a match between the compiled sensor values and the average signal curve, executes the action associated with the associated stored gesture.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating function of the machine is one of: (i) to grip and release the object, (ii) to implement a sequence of tasks, (iii) to establish a movement to guide an extendable portion of the machine, and (iv) to engage in a preset movement based on ad hoc commands.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operating function being one of (i) to (iv) is inferred from the location of the at least one sensor element on the machine including a first arm section, a second arm section, a third arm section, and a base section.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the operating function is:
(i) to one of grip and release the object, the sensor value is used in a first way to identify a user and a proximity of the user to a portion of the machine configured to grip and release the object,
(ii) to implement the sequence of tasks, the sensor value is used in a second way to determine the sequence based on a selection of one sensor element associated with a particular task from among the tasks that are assigned to each at least one sensor element,
(iii) to establish the movement to guide the extendable portion of the machine, the sensor value is used in a third way to teach a gesture associated with the movement by contributing towards a signal curve for the gesture, and
(iv) to engage in the preset movement based on ad hoc commands, the sensor value is used in a fourth way to receive data input associated with the ad hoc commands.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the operating function is to establish the movement to guide the extendable portion of the machine, the control unit uses the sensor value to teach a gesture associated with the movement by contributing towards a signal curve for the gesture, and the control unit compiles an average signal curve from the signal curve from each of the at least one sensor element.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the control unit triggers the safety function, the machine is one of decelerated and held at a standstill.

15. A sensor system, comprising:
at least one capacitive sensor element attachable to a surface of a machine and connected to a control unit, each respective at least one sensor outputting sensor values;

wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive the sensor values;
switch the machine between a safety mode and an operating mode based on the sensor values,
wherein the control unit uses the received sensor values from the at least one sensor element for both the safety mode and the operating mode so that the at least one sensor element has, in addition to a safety function, an operating function;
wherein the control unit responds to the received sensor values in a first way when the control unit is using the received sensor values in the safety mode, and in

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Frangen Joachim

Classifications

• F16P7/02

  by causing the machine to stop on the occurrence of dangerous conditions therein (devices in bearings affected by abnormal conditions F16C) · CPC title

• F16P3/148 Primary

  using capacitive technology · CPC title

• H02H5/12 Primary

  responsive to undesired approach to, or touching of, live parts by living beings · CPC title