Safety system

Abstract

A safety system and a method having a safety system for localizing and identifying a person or an object, a control and evaluation unit, at least one radio location system, and having at least one identification sensor for identifying the person or the object, wherein a marking is arranged on the person or on the object, wherein the radio location system has arranged radio stations, wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged on the person or on the object, wherein position data of the person or of the object can be determined by means of the radio location system, and wherein the position data can be transmitted from the radio station of the radio location system to the control and evaluation unit, and identification data from the marking on the person or the object can be determined by means of the identification sensor.

Claims

1. A safety system for localizing and identifying a person or object, the safety system comprising: a control and evaluation unit; at least one radio location system; and at least one identification sensor for identifying the person or the object, wherein a marking is arranged on the person or on the object, wherein the at least one radio location system has arranged radio stations, wherein the at least one radio location system comprises at least one ultra-wideband radio location system operating on a frequency in the range between 3.1 GHz and 10.6 GHz, and with a transmission energy per radio station having a maximum of 0.5 mW, wherein at least one radio transponder is arranged on one of the person and the object, the at least one radio transponder being arranged separately on the one of the person and the object from the marking, wherein position data of the one of the person and the object can be determined from the at least one radio transponder arranged thereon by means of the at least one radio location system, wherein the position data can be transmitted from the arranged radio stations of the at least one radio location system to the control and evaluation unit, wherein identification data can be determined from the marking arranged on the one of the person or on the object by means of the at least one identification sensor, wherein the identification data can be transmitted from the at least one identification sensor to the control and evaluation unit, and wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to compare the position data of the at least one radio location system and the identification data of the at least one identification sensor and to form checked person data or checked object data on a valid agreement.

2. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one identification sensor and the arranged radio stations are arranged as stationary or are arranged as mobile at a movable machine.

3. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one identification sensor is an RFID sensor or a barcode sensor.

4. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one encoder is additionally arranged to verify the position of the object.

5. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one spatially resolving sensor is arranged in addition to the at least one radio location system to determine the position of the person or of the object.

6. The safety system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the at least one spatially resolving sensor is a laser scanner.

7. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one spatially limited access zone having at least one access station for a facility is arranged, wherein the facility has at least one safety zone and at least one hazardous zone within the safety zone, wherein the at least one safety zone is only accessible via the at least one spatially limited access zone so that the at least one spatially limited access zone can be passed through by the person or by the object before reaching the at least one safety zone and after leaving the at least one safety zone, and wherein the at least one spatially limited access zone is only able to be passed through with the checked person data or the checked object data.

8. The safety system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the at least one access station of the at least one spatially limited access zone can be locked and can only be passed through by permitted persons or permitted objects.

9. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a dangerous movement of a movable machine in at least one hazardous zone is transformed into a safe state when the person or the object approaches the hazardous zone or the person or the object is present in the hazardous zone.

10. The safety system in accordance with claim 9, wherein a warning zone is formed adjacent to the at least one hazardous zone, with the dangerous movement of the movable machine in the at least one hazardous zone being transformed into the safe state when the person or the object is present in the warning zone.

11. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least that part of a facility is in a safe state in whose region the person or the object is detected.

12. The safety system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one identification sensor and the arranged radio stations are each mounted on a movable machine.

13. A method for localizing and identifying a person or object using a safety system, the safety system having a control and evaluation unit, at least one radio location system, and at least one identification sensor for identifying the person or the object, wherein a marking is arranged on one of the person and the object, wherein the at least one radio location system has arranged radio stations, wherein the at least one radio location system comprises at least one ultra-wideband radio location system operating on a frequency in the range between 3.1 GHz and 10.6 GHz and with a transmission energy per radio station having a maximum of 0.5 mW, and at least one radio transponder is arranged on the one of the person and the object, the at least one radio transponder being arranged separately on the one of the person and the object from the marking, the method comprising: determining position data of the one of the person and the object from the at least one radio transponder arranged thereon by means of the at least one radio location system; transmitting the position data from the arranged radio stations of the at least one radio location system to the control and evaluation unit; determining identification data from the marking on the one of the person and the object by means of the at least one identification sensor; transmitting the identification data from the at least one identification sensor to the control and evaluation unit; and comparing the position data of the at least one radio location system and the identification data of the at least one identification sensor using the control and evaluation unit and forming checked person data or checked object data on a valid agreement.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the step of mounting the at least one identification sensor and the arranged radio stations on a movable machine.

Description

(1) The invention will also be explained in the following with respect to further advantages and features with reference to the enclosed drawing and to embodiments. The Figures of the drawing show in:

(2) FIG. 1 a safety system 1 for localizing and identifying a person;

(3) FIG. 2 a safety system 1 for localizing and identifying an object;

(4) FIG. 3 a safety system 1 for localizing and identifying a person or an object with radio stations arranged as stationary;

(5) FIG. 4 a safety system 1 for localizing and identifying a person or an object with radio stations arranged as mobile; and

(6) FIG. 5 a spatially limited access zone with at least one access station for a system.

(7) In the following Figures, identical parts are provided with identical reference numerals.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a safety system 1 for localizing and identifying a person 2 having a control and evaluation unit 3, having at least one radio location system 4, having at least one identification sensor 7 for identifying the person 2, wherein a marking 9 is arranged on the person, wherein the radio location system 4 has arranged radio stations 5, wherein at least one radio transponder 6 is arranged on the person 2, wherein position data of the person 2 can be determined by means of the radio location system 4, wherein the position data can be transmitted from the radio station 5 of the radio location system 4 to the control and evaluation unit and identification data of the marking 9 on the person 2 can be determined by means of the identification sensor 7, wherein the identification data can be transmitted from the identification sensor 7 to the control and evaluation unit 3, and wherein the control and evaluation unit 3 is configured to compare the position data of the radio location system 4 and the identification data of the identification sensor 7 and for form checked person data on a valid agreement.

(9) Analog to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 shows a safety system 1 for localizing and identifying an object; 8 having a control and evaluation unit 3, having at least one radio location system 4, and having at least one identification sensor 7 for identifying the object 8.

(10) The control and evaluation unit 3 has inputs, a processing unit, and outputs. The identification sensor 7 and the radio stations 5 are connected to the inputs. The control and evaluation unit 3 can be a modular control and evaluation unit that is programmable via software.

(11) The outputs of the safety control and evaluation unit 3 can in particular be redundant safety outputs. They are here, for example, semiconductor-controlled switching outputs to safely shut down the drive of a machine, for example.

(12) The first of the two sensor technologies is the radio location system 4 or a radio based localization system by which the positions of radio transponders 6 can be determined exactly to within a few centimeters. The radio location system 4 optionally delivers classification information or identification information in addition to the position of the object 8 or of the person 2 with the aid of a radio transponder identification and a reference to an object 8 or person 2 stored thereon.

(13) The second system is the identification sensor 7. In this respect, a marking 9 or optionally a transponder is required on the person 2 or on the object 8. Identification information is thus directly accessible to the identification sensor 7. This identification sensor 7 therefore delivers information on the person 2 or on the object 8, for example whether the person 2 is an authorized person 2 who has specific access authorizations or with an object 8, whether it is a permitted or an unpermitted object 8 or, for example, what kind of object 8 it is and, for example, what dimensions the object 8 has.

(14) A validation of an object identification or of a person identification and of an object position or person position could run as follows in accordance with FIG. 3:

(15) The radio location system 4 determines the position of an object 8 or of a person 2, with the object 8 or the person being located via the radio transponder 6 This information is transmitted to the control and evaluation unit 3.

(16) The control and evaluation unit 3 optionally transmits a search field, in which the radio location system 4 has identified the person 2 or object 8, to the identification sensor 7.

(17) The identification sensor 7 checks whether a person 2 or an object 8 of a suitable size and optionally of other validation parameters such as shape, etc. is detected in its detection zone or its search field. The identification sensor 7 transmits the detected data to the control and evaluation unit 3.

(18) The control and evaluation unit 3 compares the detected features or the identification data of the person 2 or object 8 of the identification sensor 7 with the detected features or with the contour of the person 2 or of the object 8 of the radio location system 4.

(19) In this respect, the detected position of the person 2 or of the object 8 of the radio location system 4 and the detected identification data of the person 2 or of the object 8 of the identification sensor 7 are compared with one another.

(20) Both the person identification and the object identification can thus be reciprocally validated by the two diverse information channels and can thus be checked for a safety technical application.

(21) In accordance with the FIG. 3 the marking 9 contains the identification information for the person 2 or for the object 8, whereby the person 2 or the object 8 is unambiguously identifiable.

(22) In accordance with FIG. 3, the identification sensor 7 and the radio stations 5 are arranged as stationary.

(23) In accordance with FIG. 4, the identification sensor 7 and the radio stations 5 are arranged as mobile at a movable machine 11.

(24) The movable machine 11 or mobile machine can, for example, be a guideless vehicle or, in accordance with FIG. 5, a robot having movable robot arms. The movable machine 11 thus has a drive and can be moved in different directions.

(25) Optionally, the radio location system 4 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 per radio station.

(26) At a minimum only one single radio transponder 6 has to be arranged at the person 2 or object 8, said radio transponder 6 being detected by at least three radio stations 5 arranged as stationary, with the spacing of the radio stations 5 being known.

(27) A plurality of radio stations 5, for example more than three, are preferably arranged that monitor at least a part of the movement zone of the person 2 or object 8.

(28) At least two or more radio transponders 6 can also be arranged at the person 2 or object 8. The position of the person 2 or object 8 can thereby be identified more exactly and the alignment of the person 2 or object 8 in the stationary state can also be detected when the arrangement of the radio transponders 6 on the person 2 or object 8 is known.

(29) Optionally the identification sensor 7 is an RFID sensor or an RFID reader or a barcode sensor.

(30) If an RFID reader is used an RFID transponder is arranged as a marking 9 on the person 2 or on the object 8.

(31) If the identification sensor 7 is configured as a barcode sensor, a barcode, a QR code, a data matrix code, or similar is affixed as a marking 9 to the object 8 or to the person 2.

(32) The barcode sensor is configured to read the identification data of the object 8 or of the person 2 from the barcode and to communicate it to the control and evaluation unit 3.

(33) Optionally, at least one encoder is additionally arranged on the person 2 or on the object 8 to verify the position of the person 2 or of the object 8.

(34) The encoder is connected to the control and evaluation unit 3 and the control and evaluation unit 3 is configured to evaluate the movement information of the encoders.

(35) In accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4, spatially resolving sensors can be arranged in addition to the radio location system 4 to determine the position of the person or of the object.

(36) The spatially resolving sensor checks whether a person 2 or object 8 of a suitable size and optionally of other validation parameters such as shape, speed, etc. is detected in its detection zone or its search field. The spatially resolving sensor transmits the detected data to the control and evaluation unit 3.

(37) The control and evaluation unit 3 compares the detected features or the contour of the person 2 or object of 8 the spatially resolving sensor with the detected features or the contour of the person 2 or object 8 of the radio location system 4. Optionally, the spatially resolving sensor is a laser scanner.

(38) In accordance with FIG. 5, at least one spatially limited access zone 12 having at least one access station 13 for a facility 14 is arranged, wherein the facility 14 has at least one safety zone 15 and at least one hazardous zone 16 within the safety zone 15, with the safety zone 15 only being accessible via the access zone 12 so that the access zone 12 can be passed through by the person 2 or by the object 8 before reaching the safety zone 15 and after leaving the safety zone 15, with the access zone 12 only being able to be passed through with checked person data or checked object data.

(39) It is possible that a person 2 can dwell in the hazardous zone 16 since the hazardous or dangerous movement in this zone has transformed into a safe state, for example has stopped or has a safe low movement speed. However, production with a productive operation of a machine can continue, for example, in an adjacent hazardous zone 16 since no person is present there.

(40) The access zone 12 is a spatially bounded access zone 12 having an access station 13, for example a gate or a door. The safety zone 15 of the facility 14 is only accessible through this access zone 12. A plurality of access zones 12 can also be arranged. This can in particular be sensible with very large facilities that have a plurality of safety zones 15, for example.

(41) The access station 13 can, for example, have electronic means such as an electronic door switch, whereby a check can be made whether the access zone 12 has been opened.

(42) The facility 14 can, for example, be an industrial facility for manufacturing products. It is, for example, in this respect a part of a production plant for automobiles. The facility 14 can also be a part of a machine or a facility 14 having a plurality of machines. The facility 14 has a safety zone 15 that may not be entered by persons 2 when the facility 14 is active since the person 2 may be in danger from parts of the facility 14. The facility 14 is, for example, one or more robots whose dangerous action zone is disposed within the safety zone 15.

(43) Optionally, the access station 13 of the access zone 12 can be blocked and can only be passed through by authorized persons 2 with checked person data or by authorized objects 8 with checked object data.

(44) Unauthorized access is thereby prevented and only an authorized person 2 who bears the marking 9 can enter into the safety zone 15.

(45) Optionally, a warning zone 17 is formed adjacent to the hazardous zone 16, with a dangerous movement of a machine in at least one hazardous zone 16 being transformed into a safe state when the person 2 or the object 8 is present in the warning zone 17.

(46) The warning zone 17 has the result that persons 2 may move in the safety zone 16 outside the warning zone 17 and outside the hazardous zone 16. However, as soon as a person 2 is present in the warning zone 17, the movement in the hazardous zone 16 is transformed into the safe state. The warning zone 17 forms a defined fixed zone to initiate a safe state in the hazardous zone 16. Depending on the trailing time of the machine, the warning zone 17 can be dimensioned as larger or smaller. The hazardous zone 16 is here only accessible via the warning zone 17.

(47) Optionally, at least some of the system is in a safe state in whose zone the person 2 or the object 8 is detected. The remaining parts of the facility 14 can thereby continue to be productively operated.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(48) 1 safety system 2 person 3 control and evaluation unit 4 radio location system 5 radio stations 6 radio transponder 7 identification sensor 8 object 9 marking 11 movable machine 12 access zone 13 access station 14 facility 15 safety zone 16 hazardous zone 17 warning zone