A crane or mobile crane includes a crane base, a crane jib to be slewed relative to the base about a slewing axis vertically oriented in normal operating state. A counterweight carrier coupled to the crane jib slews therewith and carries counterweight modules in normal operating state. An anti-collision sensor system monitors the presence of an object within a slewing range ahead being passed through by the counterweight carrier and/or counterweight modules in the future during normal operation as the crane jib slews. A control unit linked to the anti-collision sensor system for signal transmission is configured to determine, based on sensor signals transmitted by the anti-collision sensor system, whether an object is present in the slewing range ahead, to determine whether the object can lead to a collision with the counterweight carrier or one counterweight module, and to take a countermeasure upon a collision.

A method for controlling a materials handling and/or construction machine, such as a crane or cable excavator, wherein different control functions are selected on a screen of a controller with a touchscreen function by touching a control function symbol, and respective functional parameters of the selected control function are set. A working region boundary of a working region delimiting function for automatically deactivating and/or slowing down at least one actuator is displayed on the screen together with a display of the materials handling and/or construction machine and/or the work surroundings in the form of a touchscreen display element when the working region boundary is reached and is adjusted by touching and moving the working region boundary on the screen relative to the display of the materials handling and/or construction machine and/or the work surroundings thereof.

A method for controlling a crane having a boom operating in a circular work area and at least one anti-collision system detecting a risk of collision on a right side and a left side of the boom may be used to direct the boom from a starting angular sector, where a risk of collision with an obstacle has been detected, towards a final angular sector where a risk of interference is low or even zero, based on an interference mapping segmenting the circular work area into several angular sectors and associating with each of them an interference counter value representative of a level of risk of interference. The values may evolve in real time according to the orientations of the boom and collision risk detections.

A crane anti-collision system, containing: a scanning apparatus installed in the crane, containing a laser scanner arranged to measure the optical distance to targets from the crane in the first direction of travel; and a detection apparatus arranged to automatically detect targets by the scanning apparatus. The detection apparatus is arranged for: defining by the scanning apparatus a three-dimensional reference zone of the goods handling area that is composed of the surface and vertical tolerance of the goods handling area; and detecting a target in the goods handling area on the basis that the height defined by the scanning apparatus differs from that of said reference zone. Further described is a control system, an anti-collision method, an anti-collision program, and a manufacturing method for an anti-collision system.

Aspects of the disclosure include apparatus for and methods of facilitating transfer of objects using a crane. Disclosed apparatuses include a target tracking device mounted on or near a crane at a first location, and a target located near a landing location for the object. The target tracking device and the target facilitate real time determination of relative motion between the two locations. Methods of using the same are also disclosed.

Aspects of the disclosure include apparatus for and methods of facilitating transfer of objects using a crane. Disclosed apparatuses include a target tracking device mounted on or near a crane at a first location, and a target located near a landing location for the object. The target tracking device and the target facilitate real time determination of relative motion between the two locations. Methods of using the same are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a method for real time monitoring of the current status of a construction site having one or more work machines, wherein a monitoring means installed at least one work machine monitors the environment of the work machine in real time and generates corresponding monitoring data, with the generated monitoring data being transmitted by the monitoring means to at least one processing unit for a real time evaluation of the current construction site status.

The present disclosure relates to a method for real time monitoring of the current status of a construction site having one or more work machines, wherein a monitoring means installed at least one work machine monitors the environment of the work machine in real time and generates corresponding monitoring data, with the generated monitoring data being transmitted by the monitoring means to at least one processing unit for a real time evaluation of the current construction site status.

In a method for preventing a collision of a load of a crane with an obstacle, a height profile of the obstacle is captured along a trajectory of movement of the load by at least two sensors for distance measurement. Signals of the sensors are transmitted via at least two communication channels to a controller having at least two operating systems. At least one of the operating systems has a safety program in a secure area. The obstacle is identified along the trajectory via the height profile. The controller includes a secure communications interface for transmitting signals from the controller to a crane control.

A safety system (2) for a working vehicle (4) comprising a working equipment (6), e.g. a crane or a working tool, the safety system (2) comprises a control unit (8), a controller (10), e.g. a remote controller, configured to control said working equipment (6), and a display unit (12). The control unit is configured to: define a set of three-dimensional safety spaces (14) in relation to the vehicle (4), present at least one safety space (14) from said set of safety spaces on said display unit (12), wherein said at least one safety space being presented overlaid on an image (18) of at least a part of the working vehicle (4) and working equipment (6), receive a first input signal (20) comprising space position parameters representing at least one chosen safety space among the presented safety spaces, and to designate each at least one chosen safety space as an active safety space (14A), and to receive a second input signal (22) comprising a safety space state command either allowing or preventing said working equipment to be moved into said at least one active safety space (14A), and to apply a state command signal (24) to said controller (10) to control said working equipment (6) in dependence of said safety space state command.