Safety system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9792746-B2
Application number	US-201615376755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2016
Priority date	Jan 18, 2016
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A safety system and a method using a safety system having at least one mobile key unit ( 2 ) with an evaluation unit ( 3 ) and having a key station ( 4 ) with a receiver for the key unit ( 2 ), wherein at least one spatially restricted access zone ( 6 ) is arranged having an access station ( 7 ) for a facility ( 8 ), wherein the key unit ( 2 ) is configured for reading data from at least one checking station ( 9 ) within a safety zone ( 16 ) of the facility ( 8 ), wherein the data comprise identification data for the checking station ( 9 ), and wherein the mobile key unit ( 2 ) has an interface ( 10 ) by means of which the data can be wirelessly transmitted from the checking station ( 9 ) to the key unit ( 2 ), with the checking unit ( 9 ) only being accessible via the access zone ( 6 ) so that the access zone ( 6 ) can be passed through by a person ( 17 ) having the key unit ( 2 ) before reaching the checking station ( 9 ) and after the leaving of the checking station ( 9 ), with the data of the key unit ( 2 ) being able to be transmitted to the key station ( 4 ) when all the mobile key units ( 2 ) are in the key station ( 4 ), and with the facility ( 8 ) being deactivated or blocked when at least one key unit ( 2 ) has been removed from the key station ( 4 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A safety system comprising:
at least one mobile key unit with an evaluation unit and
a key station with a receiver for the mobile key unit,
wherein at least one spatially bounded access zone is arranged having an access station for a facility,
wherein the mobile key unit is configured for reading data from at least one checking station within a safety zone of the facility, with the data comprising identification data for the checking station, and with the mobile key unit having an interface by means of which the data can be wirelessly transmitted from the checking station to the mobile key unit,
wherein the checking station is only accessible via the access zone such that the access zone can only be passed through by a person having the mobile key unit before reaching the checking station and after leaving the checking station, with the data of the mobile key unit being able to be transmitted to the key station; and
wherein the facility is configured to be activated when all the mobile key units are in the key station and the facility to be deactivated when at least one mobile key unit has been removed from the key station.

2. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the mobile key unit has at least one RFID reading device and the checking station has at least one RFID transponder.

3. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the access station of the access zone is configured to be locked and to only be passed through with the mobile key unit.

4. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a timer, with the timer being configured to be started with a first time value in the mobile key unit on a removal of the mobile key unit from the key station.

5. The safety system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the timer is configured to be checked on the reaching of the checking station and if the first time value has not been reached, a valid reaching of the checking station can be signaled and if the first time value is exceeded, an invalid reaching of the checking station can be signaled.

6. The safety system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a timer, with the timer being configured to be started with a second time value in the mobile key unit on the reaching of the checking station by the mobile key unit.

7. The safety system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the timer is configured to be checked on the reaching of the key station and if the second time value has not been reached, a valid reaching of the key station can be signaled and if the second time value is exceeded, an invalid reaching of the key station can be signaled.

8. A method using a safety system having at least one mobile key unit with an evaluation unit and having a key station with a receiver for the mobile key unit, wherein at least one spatially bounded access zone is arranged having an access station for a facility, the method comprising the steps of:
reading data from at least one checking station within a safety zone of the facility by means of the mobile key unit, with the data comprising identification data for the checking station, and with the mobile key unit having an interface by means of which the data is wirelessly transmitted from the checking station to the mobile key unit, wherein the checking station is only accessible via the access zone so that the access zone has to be passed through by a person having the mobile key unit before reaching the checking station and after leaving the checking station, with the data of the mobile key unit being transmitted to the key station;
activating the facility when all the mobile key units are in the key station; and
deactivating the facility when at least one mobile key unit has been removed from the key station.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the mobile key unit has at least one RFID reading device and transmits an RFID reading signal and the checking station has at least one RFID transponder that responds to the RFID reading signal of the RFID reading device.

10. The method in accordance with claims 8 , wherein the access station of the access zone is locked and can only be passed through with the key device.

11. The method in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
starting a timer with a first time value in the mobile key unit on a removal of the mobile key unit from the key station.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
checking the timer on the reaching of the checking station and
signaling a valid reaching of the checking station if the first time value has not been reached and
signaling an invalid reaching of the checking station if the first time value is exceeded.

13. The method in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
starting a timer with a second time value in the mobile key unit on the reaching of the checking station by the mobile key unit.

14. The method in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:
checking the timer on the reaching of the key station and
signaling a valid reaching of the key station if the second time value has not been reached and
signaling an invalid reaching of the key station if the second time value is exceeded.

Assignees

• Sick Ag

Inventors

• Brunner Fabio Victor Dominik

Classifications

• F16P3/147

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

• H04L9/0894 Primary

  Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage · CPC title

• G07C2009/00428

  periodically after a time period · CPC title

• F16P3/08 Primary

  in connection with the locking of doors, covers, guards, or like members giving access to moving machine parts · CPC title

• G07C9/21

  having a variable access code · CPC title