A safety control method, intelligent tool and computer readable medium

Abstract

The application relates to a safety control method, an intelligent tool and a computer readable medium, wherein according to the control logic of the reminding signal, the reminding signal is sent so as to remind a user; thus, the intelligent tool can actively send the reminding signal, timely remind the user to perform safety operation, has high timeliness, cannot misjudge and has high reliability; furthermore, the scheme of the application continuously sends the reminding signal outward, has an anti-fatigue effect and effectively prevents fatigue use of the tool.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of security protection, and more specifically to a security control method, intelligent tool, and computer-readable medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of the power tool industry and the increase in market application, tool safety has become a topic of widespread concern. This is especially true for tools with cutting edges, such as various saws and electric shears; improper use or fatigue during operation can easily lead to injuries.

[0003] To improve safety during use, some electric scissors and circular saws on the market now include human detection functions to prevent the blade from cutting the user's fingers or other body parts; current solutions, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the system primarily works by passively detecting human body signals and their equivalent resistance. The microcontroller then collects these signals and sends them to the MCU software for decision-making and shutdown protection. However, there is always a time lag between signal acquisition, motor shutdown, and tool stop. Stopping a high-speed tool immediately due to this time lag is extremely difficult. Furthermore, the operator and the protected individual must be the same person, forming a circuit, for the protection to be triggered.

[0004] Therefore, it is indeed necessary to provide an improved intelligent tool to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a safety control solution that is highly reliable, responsive, and energy-efficient.

[0006] This invention provides a security control method applied to a smart tool, the smart tool including a security alert module, the control method comprising:

[0007] Control logic for acquiring reminder signals;

[0008] The reminder signal is sent according to the control logic of the reminder signal to remind the user.

[0009] A further improvement is as follows: the control method further includes a function self-test step; the function self-test step includes sending a reminder signal along at least two signal paths;

[0010] Receive at least two alert signals transmitted through the at least two signal paths;

[0011] Consistency verification is performed on the at least two alert signals to determine the reliability of the function.

[0012] A further improvement is that the control method further includes: detecting abnormal information and generating control information based on the abnormal information to control the intelligent tool to perform a speed reduction or shutdown operation.

[0013] A further improvement is that the control method further includes: detecting whether an abnormal target appears within a preset area;

[0014] When an abnormal target is detected, an alert signal is sent to remind the user when they come into contact with the smart tool.

[0015] A further improvement is proposed: acquire a preset area, and detect abnormal targets within the preset area.

[0016] When the abnormal target is detected, control instructions for the intelligent tool are generated based on the location of the abnormal target within the area.

[0017] A further improvement is as follows: when no abnormal target is detected within the preset area and a running command input by the user is received, the sending of the reminder signal is stopped, and / or the smart tool continues to run.

[0018] The present invention also provides an intelligent tool, which includes at least: a controller, a signal transmitter, a detection sensor, a motor, and a working head;

[0019] The controller is connected to the signal transmitter, the detection sensor, and the motor respectively;

[0020] The controller is used to acquire the control logic of the reminder signal, and to send the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal in order to remind the user.

[0021] The present invention also provides an intelligent tool, the intelligent tool comprising:

[0022] Acquisition module: Control logic used to acquire reminder signals;

[0023] Control module: Used to send the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal, so as to remind the user.

[0024] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention provides a safety control method, which is applied to a smart tool. The smart tool includes a safety reminder module, which sends the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal to remind the user. Thus, the smart tool can actively send reminder signals to promptly remind the user to perform safe operations, which is highly timely, avoids misjudgment, and is highly reliable. Furthermore, the solution of the present invention continuously sends reminder signals, which also has an anti-fatigue effect and effectively prevents fatigue use of the tool. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an anti-scissor hand structure in the prior art;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The terminology used in this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0030] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a safety control solution that is highly reliable, responsive, and energy-efficient.

[0031] This invention provides a security control method applied to a smart tool, the smart tool including a security alert module, the control method, such as... Figure 2 As shown, it includes:

[0032] Control logic for acquiring reminder signals;

[0033] The reminder signal is sent according to the control logic of the reminder signal to remind the user.

[0034] Preferably, this invention cleverly combines a low-voltage pulse wave generator with a tool. The low-voltage pulse wave generator actively sends a reminder signal. Before sending the signal, the control logic for the reminder signal needs to be determined. Taking electric shears as an example, the low-voltage pulse wave generator receives power from the electric shears controller and a control signal indicating whether to emit a pulse wave. When it receives the control signal from the electric shears controller, it indicates that the low-voltage pulse wave generator needs to operate, generating a 40V / 10ms / 3KHz pulse signal. This signal is emitted outwards through the metal motor, gearbox, fixed blade, and moving blade. The metal motor, gearbox, fixed blade, and moving blade are conventional components of the tool. Besides providing mechanical power for cutting branches, they also receive low-voltage pulse waves from the low-voltage pulse wave controller. Because they are all made of metal, they are conductive. For safety reasons, the human body should not come into contact with these metal parts. With this invention, if the human body comes into contact with these metal parts, they will be stimulated by the low-voltage pulse voltage and immediately remove the body part.

[0035] To achieve the above control method, the present invention can preferably use a common type of controller such as a brushed or brushless motor controller. This controller controls the power supply and working status of the entire tool. In addition to controlling the motor based on the power-on signal and position signal provided by the blade position detection Hall plate, it can also control the power supply, operation, and stop of the low-voltage pulse wave controller.

[0036] The intelligent tool also includes a power-on component and a blade position detection Hall effect board to provide signals to the electric shears controller for power-on, power-off, blade opening, and blade closing. Preferably, multiple magnetic field-sensitive Hall effect sensors can be mounted on a PCB board, and magnets can be installed on the trigger and blade to control opening and closing. When the trigger and blade move, the Hall effect sensors collect signals from the magnets and transmit these signals to the electric shears controller to control whether the motor and low-voltage pulse battery controller operate.

[0037] This invention, developed based on the usage scenarios and user needs, proactively alerts users to prevent accidents. Compared to existing solutions, it offers several advantages: 1) Higher reliability: Testing revealed that existing electric shears are prone to misjudgment. When operators climb tree trunks or hold branches to be pruned, misjudgment can cause the shears to malfunction. The invention continuously emits low-voltage pulse waves at a frequency of 10kHz through a metal component. Upon contact, a person immediately feels an electric shock and retracts their finger. This low-voltage pulse wave attenuates rapidly; beyond a certain distance of 20cm, the pulse wave is no longer felt, allowing for continuous normal operation. 2) Better timeliness: Testing showed that existing solutions for electric circular saws and chainsaws have relatively slow reaction times. A circular saw is a high-speed rotating tool with significant inertia; it takes at least 2 seconds from signal detection to shutdown, which can be very harmful to the user. The invention's proactive low-voltage pulse emission is continuous, so the user immediately feels an electric shock upon contact and quickly moves their limb. 3) More energy-efficient than existing solutions, improving the battery life of lithium-ion products. Some electric shears and chainsaws also use infrared and vision sensors for active protection. They stop working immediately once a limb is detected in the detection area, but these infrared and vision sensors consume at least 30mA of current. The solution of this invention operates intermittently in the form of pulses, 10 pulses per second, each pulse width 20 milliseconds. This reduces the average current consumption to less than 1 milliA, resulting in very low energy consumption and improved product lifespan. 4) Longer lifespan and more reliable than existing solutions. Current passive detection of human body signals and equivalent resistance cannot distinguish between static electricity signals and human body signals. Market research shows that static electricity is very high in the low-temperature, dry environment of northern regions. This static electricity signal can burn out the MCU in the controller that detects the human body signal, causing the protection function to fail. However, this solution has no input detection, only outward emission, so there is no need to worry about static electricity. Furthermore, it has been found that all current electric shears' anti-cutting hand function detects human body signals on the trigger. The trigger is a frequently used component, and the wires connected to the trigger will break over time. 5) Has anti-fatigue properties. Anyone who has used a meridian therapy device knows that low-voltage pulsed radio waves stimulate the user to be very alert. Users are prone to fatigue when working for extended periods, and are more likely to make mistakes when fatigued. This solution stimulates the user to remain alert, effectively preventing the use of the tool while fatigued.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the control method further includes: a function self-test step; the function self-test step includes: sending a reminder signal along at least two signal paths;

[0039] Receive at least two alert signals transmitted through the at least two signal paths;

[0040] Consistency verification is performed on the at least two alert signals to determine the reliability of the function.

[0041] The signal emitted by the low-voltage pulse wave controller can not only be transmitted outwards but also provide control logic to the controller, such as pulse signal characteristic information, including but not limited to pulse frequency and bandwidth, such as 10 pulses per second, with each pulse width of 20 milliseconds; further, it can be displayed as voltage + pulse width + frequency, such as 40V / 10ms / 3KHz. The low-voltage pulse wave controller can provide this information to the controller. Simultaneously, by setting up a corresponding detection module, the pulse signal sent to metal structures such as motors can be detected, and the characteristic information of the pulse signal can be identified. The controller compares the characteristic information from the low-voltage pulse wave controller with the characteristic information from the detection module. When the two match, it indicates that the active reminder function is reliable. Generally, the controller on the tool has limited processing power. To reduce data processing requirements, after receiving two characteristic information pieces, the controller can select one or both for comparison according to a preset strategy, thereby reducing the controller's workload.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the control method further includes: detecting abnormal information and generating control information based on the abnormal information to control the intelligent tool to perform a speed reduction or shutdown operation. Since each user reacts differently to the aforementioned pulse signals, to further improve the safety of tool use, a signal detection module can be set up to detect the time the user contacts the working head, such as the contact time with the blade. This time is measured using the number of pulses. For example, if 10 pulses are sent per second, and more than 5 pulses are sent to the user, a safety control operation is performed on the machine. This safety control operation can be reducing the motor speed or shutting down the machine. The signal detection module can be an infrared sensor, a vision sensor, etc., as long as it can determine that the user's body or other living object has contacted the working head, such as the blade. Through these two safety operations (actively sending a warning signal and judging the contact time to determine whether to reduce speed or stop the machine), not only can the user be proactively reminded of the current dangerous operation, but the user can also be effectively reminded even if they are wearing gloves, thus improving the safety of tool use.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the control method further includes: detecting whether an abnormal target appears within a preset area;

[0044] When an abnormal target is detected, an alert signal is sent to remind the user when they come into contact with the smart tool.

[0045] This invention uses a low-voltage pulse wave controller to send pulse signals, i.e., reminder signals, to proactively remind users. Specifically, the invention operates intermittently in the form of pulses, 10 pulses per second, with each pulse width of 20 milliseconds. This results in an average current consumption of less than 1 milliA, extremely low energy consumption, and improved product battery life. Even so, to further reduce energy consumption, a trigger mechanism can be established, ensuring that the low-voltage pulse wave controller only sends the reminder signal upon receiving a trigger signal; otherwise, it remains in a sleep state. This further reduces energy consumption and increases battery life. To achieve the above objectives, signal detection modules such as infrared sensors and visual sensors can be used to identify the presence of living objects (e.g., user's fingers) or obstacles within a designated area. If an object is found, the low-voltage pulse wave controller is triggered to start working, i.e., to begin sending reminder signals, i.e., pulse signals.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the control method further includes: acquiring a preset area, detecting abnormal targets within the preset area, and when the abnormal target is detected, generating control instructions for the intelligent tool based on the location of the abnormal target within the area.

[0047] As an optional embodiment, the present invention can also set a signal detection module according to actual needs. Through signal detection modules such as infrared sensors and vision sensors, it can determine whether a user's finger or other living object / obstacle appears within the detection area. If it does, the location information of the abnormal target, i.e., the aforementioned living object / obstacle, is obtained. Based on the minimum distance between the abnormal target and the working head, such as the blade, it is determined whether to perform a safety control operation. The minimum distance refers to the closest distance between the abnormal target and the edge of the working head. For example, when the minimum distance is greater than a first threshold, a warning signal is sent only at a first frequency; when the minimum distance is not greater than the first threshold but is greater than a second threshold, the motor is controlled to perform a speed reduction process, and a warning signal is sent at a second frequency; if the minimum distance is not greater than the second threshold but the second distance is greater than 0, the motor is controlled to perform a speed reduction process, and a warning signal is sent at a third frequency. The first threshold is greater than the second threshold, the second threshold is greater than 0, the first frequency is less than the second frequency, and the second frequency is less than the third frequency. The specific values ​​of the thresholds, frequencies, and speed reduction amplitude can be set according to actual working conditions and experience, and will not be elaborated further here. In a preferred embodiment, the size of the detection area is related to the rotational speed. When the rotational speed is at its maximum, the detection area is the largest area that the signal detection module can detect. During normal operation, the higher the rotational speed, the larger the detection area, and vice versa. The detection area can also be reduced according to a preset rule, such as by a preset ratio or a preset magnitude. Following this scheme, the adaptive operation of each module can be achieved, improving resource utilization efficiency and ensuring the safe use of the tool.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment, when no abnormal target is detected within the preset area and a running command input by the user is received, the sending of the reminder signal is stopped, and / or the smart tool continues to run.

[0049] The solution provided by this invention requires specific conditions to continue operating the intelligent tool after the safety hazard has been eliminated. These specific conditions include: the signal detection modules such as infrared sensors and vision sensors do not detect any abnormal targets within the corresponding detection area, and the system receives a running command input by the user. This running command can be a user-defined operation, such as pressing the power button or trigger twice consecutively. This operation ensures that the user is consciously requesting the tool to continue operating, rather than misoperating, thereby further improving the safety of using the intelligent tool.

[0050] The present invention also provides an intelligent tool, through which the control method described above is implemented, wherein, as Figure 3 As shown, the intelligent tool includes at least: a controller, a signal transmitter, a detection sensor, a motor, and a working head; wherein, the signal transmitter is preferably a low-voltage pulse wave controller, preferably generating a 40V / 10ms / 3KHz pulse signal when the controller sends a signal indicating that work is required, and this signal is emitted outward through the metal motor, gearbox, fixed blade, and moving blade; the working head is preferably the moving blade and fixed blade of electric scissors; the detection sensor is preferably a Hall sensor used to detect the blade position, mounted on a Hall plate, preferably transmitting the signal to the electric scissors controller after collecting the signal from the magnet when the trigger and blade move, to control whether the motor and low-voltage pulse battery controller work.

[0051] The controller is connected to the signal transmitter, the detection sensor, and the motor respectively;

[0052] The controller is used to acquire the control logic of the reminder signal, and to send the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal in order to remind the user.

[0053] Taking electric shears as an example, the controller is an electric shears controller, and the signal transmitter includes a low-voltage pulse wave controller, which sends a reminder signal; thus, by sending a reminder signal, proactive reminders are achieved, improving the safety of users during work.

[0054] Preferably, in an optional embodiment, the smart tool has a palm position electrode arranged on the handle. When a human body contacts the blade, a human body equivalent resistance is formed, thereby generating a working circuit, such as... Figure 4As shown by the dashed arrow, the duration of human contact with the blade can be detected by checking the continuity of this circuit. That is, when the human body is continuously in contact with the blade, the circuit remains continuous, thus determining the contact time. Preferably, the smart tool also includes a protective function switch for controlling the start or stop of the low-voltage pulse wave controller; wherein the gearbox is a metal transmission structure. The smart tool also includes a switch for power-off or power-on control.

[0055] Using the solution of this invention, low-voltage pulsed radio waves are emitted outward through a metal component at a predetermined frequency, such as 10kHz. When a person touches it, they immediately feel an electric shock and immediately withdraw their finger. This low-voltage pulsed radio wave attenuates rapidly; once the distance exceeds a certain 20cm, the pulse wave is no longer felt, allowing for normal continuous operation. By actively emitting low-voltage pulses, the emission is continuous, and the user immediately feels an electric shock and quickly moves their limb upon contact. Furthermore, the solution of this invention can operate intermittently, appearing in the form of pulses, such as 10 pulses per second, each pulse width 20 milliseconds. This allows the average current consumption to be less than 1 milliamp, resulting in very low energy consumption and improved product battery life.

[0056] Furthermore, current methods that passively detect human body signals and equivalent human body resistance cannot distinguish between static electricity signals and human body signals. Market research shows that static electricity generated in the low-temperature, dry environment of northern regions is very high. This static electricity signal can burn out the MCU in the controller that detects the signal through the human body signal detection path, causing the protection function to fail. However, the solution of this invention does not have input detection; it only emits signals outward, so there is no need to worry about static electricity issues.

[0057] The present invention also provides an intelligent tool for implementing the control method described above, the intelligent tool comprising:

[0058] Acquisition module: Control logic used to acquire reminder signals;

[0059] Control module: Used to send the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal, so as to remind the user.

[0060] The intelligent tool provided by this invention sends the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal to remind the user. Thus, the intelligent tool can proactively send reminder signals to promptly remind the user to perform safe operations, which is highly timely, avoids misjudgment, and is highly reliable. Furthermore, the solution of this invention, which continuously sends reminder signals, also has an anti-fatigue effect, effectively preventing the tool from being used while fatigued.

[0061] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working process of the system and apparatus described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0062] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this invention, essentially, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0063] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are merely specific implementations of the present invention, used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit it. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features; and these modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, and should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A safety control method, characterized in that, The control method is applied to a smart tool, which includes a security alert module, and the control method includes: Control logic for acquiring reminder signals; According to the control logic of the reminder signal, the reminder signal is sent to remind the user. The reminder signal is a low-voltage pulse radio wave signal emitted outward by the smart tool through its metal components.

2. The safety control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method further includes a function self-test step; the function self-test step includes sending a reminder signal along at least two signal paths; Receive at least two alert signals transmitted through the at least two signal paths; Consistency verification is performed on the at least two alert signals to determine the reliability of the function.

3. The safety control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method further includes: if abnormal information is detected, generating control information based on the abnormal information to control the intelligent tool to perform a speed reduction or shutdown operation.

4. The safety control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control method further includes: detecting whether an abnormal target appears within a preset area; When an abnormal target is detected, an alert signal is sent to remind the user when they come into contact with the smart tool.

5. The safety control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Obtain a preset area and detect abnormal targets within the preset area. When the abnormal target is detected, control instructions for the intelligent tool are generated based on the location of the abnormal target within the area.

6. The safety control method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, When no abnormal target is detected within the preset area and a running command is received from the user, the sending of the reminder signal is stopped, and / or the smart tool continues to run.

7. A smart tool, characterized in that, The intelligent tool includes at least: a controller, a signal transmitter, a detection sensor, a motor, and a working head; The controller is connected to the signal transmitter, the detection sensor, and the motor respectively; The controller is used to acquire the control logic of the reminder signal, and to send the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal in order to remind the user. The reminder signal is a low-voltage pulse radio wave signal emitted outward by the smart tool through its metal components.

8. A smart tool, characterized in that, The intelligent tools include: Acquisition module: Control logic used to acquire reminder signals; Control module: Used to send the reminder signal according to the control logic of the reminder signal, so as to remind the user; The reminder signal is a low-voltage pulse radio wave signal emitted outward by the smart tool through its metal components.

9. A smart tool, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method described in any one of claims 1-6.

10. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable non-volatile program code, characterized in that, The program code causes the processor to execute the method described in any one of claims 1-6.

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