Detection region setting method and detection region setting device

Abstract

The primary purpose of the present disclosure is to appropriately set a detection region of a safety sensor without undue time and effort.　This detection region setting method for setting a detection region (A) of a safety sensor (10) includes: (a) a step for acquiring a detection result obtained, by means of the safety sensor (10), by detecting a target that can be detected in the usage environment of the safety sensor (10), in a state where the target is present in a detectable region of the safety sensor (10); (b) a step for setting the detection region (A) from the detectable region on the basis of the detection result acquired in the step (a); and (c) a step for outputting setting information of the detection region (A) set in the step (b) to the safety sensor (10).

Description

Detection area setting method and detection area setting device

[0001] This specification discloses a detection area setting method and a detection area setting device.

[0002] Conventionally, a method has been proposed for setting a necessary detection area from the detectable area (maximum detection area) of a safety sensor. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a plurality of reflectors are arranged to surround the periphery of a desired detection area within the detectable area, and the detection area is set based on the detection positions of the reflectors when the safety sensor detects them.

[0003] WO 2003 / 075035

[0004] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a reflector must be prepared to set the detection area of ​​the safety sensor, which is time-consuming. Furthermore, the detection state of the safety sensor may differ between the detection target in the actual usage environment and the reflector in the set environment, which may result in an inappropriate detection area being set.

[0005] A main object of the present disclosure is to appropriately set the detection area of ​​a safety sensor without any hassle.

[0006] The present disclosure has adopted the following means to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The detection area setting method disclosed herein is a detection area setting method for setting a detection area of ​​a safety sensor, and includes the steps of: (a) acquiring a detection result in which an object that can be detected in the usage environment of the safety sensor is present in a detectable area of ​​the safety sensor, where the object is detected by the safety sensor; (b) setting the detection area from the detectable area based on the detection result acquired in step (a); and (c) outputting setting information of the detection area set in step (b) to the safety sensor.

[0008] In the detection area setting method disclosed herein, when an object that can be detected in the usage environment of the safety sensor is present in the detectable area, a detection result of the object detected by the safety sensor is acquired, and the detection area is set from the detectable area based on the acquired detection result. This eliminates the need to prepare an object solely for setting the detection area. Furthermore, because the detection result of the safety sensor detecting an object that can be detected in the usage environment is used, it is possible to prevent the set environment from deviating from the actual usage environment. Therefore, the detection area of ​​the safety sensor can be set appropriately without any hassle.

[0009] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a safety sensor 10 and a PC 20. A schematic configuration diagram of a work system 40 including the safety sensor 10 and a robot 50. A flowchart showing an example of a detection area setting process. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a detection area setting screen 30. A flowchart showing an example of a setting process by person detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a state of the setting process by person detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a state of the setting process by person detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a state of the setting process by person detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a state of the setting process by person detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a detection area setting screen 35. A flowchart showing an example of a setting process by placed object detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a state of the setting process by placed object detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a state of the setting process by placed object detection. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a detection area setting screen 35. A schematic configuration diagram of the safety sensor 10, a PC 20, and goggles 60. A flowchart showing an example of a detection area display process. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional display of the detection area A. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional display of the detection area A. An explanatory diagram showing an example of a three-dimensional display of the detection area A.

[0010] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a safety sensor 10 and a PC 20. Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a work system 40 including the safety sensor 10 and a robot 50. In this embodiment, the left-right direction, the front-rear direction, and the up-down direction are defined as shown in Fig. 2.

[0011] The safety sensor 10 includes a control unit 11 having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., a sensor unit 12 that detects surrounding objects, and a communication unit 13 that communicates with external devices such as a PC 20 and a robot 50 via wired or wireless communication. The sensor unit 12 of the safety sensor 10 is configured as, for example, a laser radar, but may also be a millimeter-wave radar. The sensor unit 12 monitors the presence or absence of a worker M within a set detection area (monitoring area) A within a detectable area (maximum detection area) that is a substantially fan-shaped area when viewed from above and in which objects can be detected.

[0012] The PC 20 is a general-purpose computer on which a manager of the work system 40 or a designer such as the worker M sets the detection area A of the safety sensor 10. The PC 20 includes a control unit 21 having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., a storage unit 22 such as an HDD for storing various application programs and various data, and a communication unit 23 for communicating with external devices connected via a network and with the safety sensor 10 connected via a communication line 18. The communication line 18 may be, for example, a USB cable. The PC 20 and the safety sensor 10 may be connected to each other wirelessly for communication. The PC 20 also includes an input unit 27 such as a keyboard or touchpad through which the manager, worker M, or other designer inputs various information, and a display screen 28 such as a liquid crystal display.

[0013] The work system 40 includes, for example, a robot 50, a robot platform 41 on which the robot 50 is mounted, a conveyor device 43, a mounting table 45, and one or more safety sensors 10. The conveyor device 43 and the mounting table 45 are disposed, for example, on opposite sides of the robot 50 in the left-right direction. The conveyor device 43 includes a roller conveyor 43a and an end table 43b. The roller conveyor 43a has multiple rollers and conveys the item P in the left-right direction by transmitting power from a motor (not shown) to each roller to rotate it. The end tables 43b are provided at both left-right ends of the conveyor device 43 (only one end is shown in FIG. 2) and are used as temporary storage locations for the item P before or after transport. The mounting table 45 has an upper surface divided into multiple mounting areas 45a, and the worker M or the robot 50 places the item P in each mounting area 45a. Pillars 47 and other components are also provided within the work system 40. The robot stand 41, the conveyor device 43, the mounting table 45, and the pillars 47 are also referred to as arranged objects (fixed objects).

[0014] The robot 50 includes a vertical articulated robot arm 52 in which multiple links are rotatably connected via joints, an end effector 54 as a work tool detachable from the distal link of the robot arm 52, a control unit, an imaging unit (not shown), and the like. The end effector 54 may be an electromagnetic chuck, a mechanical chuck, a suction nozzle, or the like, and is selected based on the shape and material of the article P. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , a mechanical chuck having a pair of openable and closable chuck jaws is attached. The robot 50 grips a knob (protrusion) Pa formed on the top surface of the article P with the mechanical chuck and transfers the article P between the conveyor device 43 and the mounting table 45. The control unit of the robot 50 receives detection signals from an encoder that detects the rotation angle of each joint of the robot arm 52, detection signals from the safety sensor 10, and images captured by the imaging unit, and controls the operation of the robot arm 52 and the end effector 54.

[0015] In the work system 40, a worker M may work around the robot 50. That is, the robot 50 of the work system 40 is used as a collaborative robot that works in the same work space as the worker M. In the work system 40, a plurality of safety sensors 10 are arranged to improve the safety of the worker M around the robot 50. Although three safety sensors 10 are shown in FIG. 2, for example, four safety sensors 10 are arranged on the robot stand 41 so as to monitor the entire circumference in four directions (front, back, left, and right) around the robot 50. The detection areas A of these safety sensors 10 are set as follows. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a detection area setting process. This process is executed by the control unit 21 of the PC 20.

[0016] In the detection area setting process, the control unit 21 acquires information about the safety sensor 10 from the safety sensor 10 connected to the PC 20 via the communication line 18 (S100). The control unit 21 acquires information such as the detectable area of ​​the safety sensor 10 and parameters related to the setting of the detection area A. Next, although not shown, the control unit 21 displays a selection screen on the display screen 28 to allow the designer to select a setting process for the detection area A, and determines whether the designer has selected the setting process using the detection target (S110). In this embodiment, a normal setting process and a setting process using the detection target are possible. The normal setting process is a process in which the designer sets the detection area A using parameters of the safety sensor 10. The setting process using the detection target is a process in which the detection area A is set using the actual detection target of the safety sensor 10 of the work system 40, such as a person (worker M) or a placed object. Note that, when the setting process using the detection target is selected, the selection screen prompts the designer to select whether the detection target is a person or a placed object. When the control unit 21 determines that the normal setting process has been selected instead of the detection target use, the control unit 21 executes the normal setting process (S120). In the normal setting process, the normal detection area setting screen 30 is displayed on the display screen 28 to prompt the designer to set the detection area A.

[0017] 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the detection area setting screen 30. The detection area setting screen 30 displays detection area display fields 31a and 31b, a parameter setting field 32, various buttons, and an instruction pointer 34. The detection area display field 31a displays the detectable area of ​​the safety sensor 10 in a planar top view. The detection area display field 31b displays the detectable area of ​​the safety sensor 10 in a planar side view. In the detection area display fields 31a and 31b, the detectable area is displayed in a triangular shape within a rectangular display field, and within the detectable area, the detection area A is displayed in a white area and the non-detection area B is displayed in a colored area.

[0018] The parameter setting field 32 displays various parameters for defining the detection area A (non-detection area B), such as "distance," "width," "horizontal angle," and "vertical angle," which can be set by moving sliders. The "distance" is a detection distance corresponding to the radius r of the approximately sector-shaped detection area A centered on the safety sensor 10, and a lower limit and an upper limit can be set. For example, a designer can set the lower limit to a value other than 0 to define the area from the safety sensor 10 to the lower limit as the non-detection area B. The "width" is a horizontal (left-right) detection width w defined by a pair of parallel lines centered on the safety sensor 10. The area inside this detection width is the detection area A, and the area outside this detection width is the non-detection area B. The "horizontal angle" determines the horizontal central angle of the detection area A, i.e., the horizontal spread angle. The "vertical angle" determines the vertical central angle of the detection area A, i.e., the vertical spread angle.

[0019] The various buttons displayed include a cancel button 33a, a save button 33b, an output button 33c, a back button 33d, and an end button 33e. The cancel button 33a is a button for canceling the detection area A (parameters) being set and returning to the default settings. The save button 33b is a button for saving the detection area A being set. The output button 33c is a button for outputting setting information such as the parameters of the detection area A to the safety sensor 10. The back button 33d is a button for returning to the selection screen described above. The end button 33e is a button for ending the setting process. The instruction pointer 34 can be operated by the designer via the input unit 27 and is used to operate various buttons and sliders for various parameters. In the normal setting process, the designer sets various parameters in the parameter setting field 32 to obtain the required detection area A (non-detection area B). Therefore, the designer needs to know in advance the detection distance and detection width required in the actual usage environment of the safety sensor 10, which makes the setting process cumbersome.

[0020] Furthermore, when the control unit 21 determines that the setting process using the detection target is selected in S110, it determines whether the detection target is a person (S130). If the control unit 21 determines that the detection target is a person, it executes the setting process using person detection (S140). If the control unit 21 determines that the detection target is not a person but an object, it executes the setting process using object detection (S150).

[0021] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a setting process based on human detection. FIGS. 6 to 8 are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of the setting process based on human detection, showing, for example, a top view of the safety sensor 10, located in front of the robot 50 on the robot platform 41, detecting a human. The colored areas in FIGS. 6 to 8 represent the detectable areas of the safety sensor 10. In the area setting process of FIG. 5 , the control unit 21 first instructs a person, such as a worker M, to stand at the first position n (n = 1) (S200). For example, the control unit 21 displays an instruction on the display screen 28 to indicate that a person should stand at one end of the arc of the detection area A to be set. Next, the control unit 21 determines whether a person (object) has been detected (S210). If the control unit 21 determines that a person has been detected, or if a person has been detected but the registration operation has not been performed, the process proceeds to S250. The registration operation is performed based on an operation on the input unit 27 of the PC 20, but may also be performed based on an operation on an operation unit wirelessly connected to the PC 20. For example, a person standing at position n may operate the operation unit to perform the registration operation.

[0022] When the control unit 21 determines in S220 that the registration operation has been performed, the control unit 21 registers the position closest to the safety sensor 10 among the multiple detection positions (detection points) when the safety sensor 10 detected a person (object) by storing the position closest to the safety sensor 10 as a detection position Pn in the storage unit 22 (S230). As shown in Fig. 6 , among the multiple detection positions detected when a person is standing at position n = 1, the position closest to the safety sensor 10, for example, a position around the center of the person's chest, is registered as a detection position P1.

[0023] Next, the control unit 21 updates the position n by incrementing the value by 1, and instructs the person to stand at the next position n (S240). The control unit 21 displays on the display screen 28 an instruction to stand at the next position on the arc of the detection area A to be set. The control unit 21 also displays on the display screen 28 a setting button for setting the detection area A based on the registered detection position Pn. The control unit 21 determines whether a setting operation has been performed based on whether the setting button has been operated (S250), and if it determines that a setting operation has not been performed, the process returns to S210.

[0024] In this manner, in the setting process based on human detection, the control unit 21 repeats the process of registering a detected position Pn each time a human is detected at position n and a registration operation is performed. That is, the designer sequentially moves a human to multiple positions n from one end position to the other end position of the arc in the detection area A to be set, and sequentially registers a detected position Pn each time the human stands (stops) at each position. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 , when a human is detected at position n=2, the detected position closest to the safety sensor 10 is registered as detected position P2. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 8 , when a human is detected at position n=3, the detected position closest to the safety sensor 10 is registered as detected position P3.

[0025] While the detection positions Pn are being sequentially registered in this manner, if the control unit 21 determines that a setting operation has been performed in S250, it approximates each of the detection positions Pn registered up to that point to generate an arc-shaped trajectory indicating the trajectory of the person's movement (S260).The control unit 21 also displays a detection area A and a non-detection area B, which are centered on the safety sensor 10 and have the arc-shaped trajectory as their boundary L, on the detection area setting screen 35 of the display screen 28 (S270).

[0026] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the detection area setting screen 35. The detection area setting screen 35 displays a detection area display field 36, a margin setting field 37, various buttons, and an instruction pointer 39. The detection area display field 36 displays the detectable area of ​​the safety sensor 10 in a planar top view. The detectable area is divided into a fan-shaped detection area A with the boundary L as an arc and centered on the safety sensor 10, and the remaining non-detection area B. The margin setting field 37 is used to set a margin relative to the boundary L, and details will be described in the setting process based on object detection. As with the detection area setting screen 30, various buttons are displayed, including a cancel button 38a, a save button 38b, an output button 38c, a back button 38d, and an end button 38e; their description will be omitted. The instruction pointer 39 can be operated by the designer via the input unit 27 and is used to operate various buttons.

[0027] Next, the control unit 21 determines whether an output instruction to the safety sensor 10 has been issued based on whether the output button 38c has been operated (S280). If the control unit 21 determines that an output instruction has not been issued, the process proceeds to S295. If the control unit 21 determines that an output instruction has been issued, the control unit 21 outputs the setting information of the set detection area A and non-detection area B to the connected safety sensor 10 (S290), and then proceeds to S295.

[0028] The control unit 21 then determines whether an end command has been issued based on whether the end button 38e has been operated (S295). If it determines that an end command has not been issued, the control unit 21 returns to S280. If it determines that an end command has been issued, the control unit 21 terminates this process. In the person detection setting process, the designer sets the detection area A by sequentially moving the person to define an arc (boundary L), making it easy to set the necessary detection area A. Although not shown in the flowchart, if the cancel button 38a is operated, the control unit 21 returns to S200, for example, to cancel the currently set detection area A and generate the boundary L again. If the save button 38b is operated, the control unit 21 saves the currently set detection area A (non-detection area B) in the memory unit 22. If the back button 38d is operated, the control unit 21 returns to the selection screen described above.

[0029] Next, the setting process based on object detection will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the setting process based on object detection. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the setting process based on object detection, showing, for example, a top view of the safety sensor 10 located to the left of the robot 50 on the robot platform 41 detecting an object. In the area setting process of FIG. 10 , the control unit 21 causes the safety sensor 10 to detect an object that is not a detection target (S300). The control unit 21 turns on the safety sensor 10 located in a position where objects such as the conveyor device 43, the platform 45, and the pillar 47 are included in the detectable area, and displays an instruction to detect the object on the display screen 28. For example, in the case of the safety sensor 10 located to the left of the robot 50, as shown in FIG. 11 , the platform 45 and the pillar 47 are included in the detectable area as objects. Therefore, the safety sensor 10 detects multiple positions (points) on the edge of the mounting base 45 on the safety sensor 10 side (thick line in the figure) and multiple positions (points) on the edge of the pillar 47 on the safety sensor 10 side (thick line in the figure).

[0030] Next, the control unit 21 determines whether an object (a placed object) has been detected (S310). If it determines that an object has been detected, it determines whether a registration operation has been performed (S320). If the control unit 21 determines that an object has not been detected, or that an object has been detected but a registration operation has not been performed, it proceeds to S340. On the other hand, if it determines that a registration operation has been performed in S320, the control unit 21 registers multiple detection positions when the safety sensor 10 detected an object (a placed object) (S330). The control unit 21 also displays a setting button on the display screen 28 for setting the detection area A based on the detection positions. The control unit 21 determines whether a setting operation has been performed based on whether the setting button has been operated (S340). If it determines that a setting operation has not been performed, it returns to S310.

[0031] When the control unit 21 determines in S340 that a setting operation has been performed, it generates an edge line of the object on the safety sensor 10 side based on each registered detection position (S350). Next, the control unit 21 sets a detection area A and a non-detection area B using the generated edge line as the boundary L, and displays them on the detection area setting screen 35 of the display screen 28 (S360).

[0032] 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a detection area setting screen 35. Similar to Fig. 9, this detection area setting screen 35 displays a detection area display field 36, a margin setting field 37, various buttons, and an instruction pointer 39. The detection area display field 36 displays the generated edge line as the boundary L, with the front side (the safety sensor 10 side) set as a detection area A and the back side set as a non-detection area B.

[0033] Next, the control unit 21 determines whether a margin addition operation has been performed based on whether an operation has been performed in the margin setting field 37 (S365). If it determines that a margin addition operation has not been performed, the control unit 21 proceeds to S380. For example, the control unit 21 determines that a margin addition operation has been performed when the margin Ma is selected as ON in the margin setting field 37 and a value for the margin Ma is set. If the control unit 21 determines that a margin addition operation has been performed, the control unit 21 moves the edge line closer to the safety sensor 10 by the margin Ma set in the margin setting field 37, and sets and displays the detection area A and non-detection area B again (S370). FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the detection area setting screen 35. In FIG. 13, the boundary L is moved closer to the safety sensor 10 by the margin Ma than in FIG. 12, and the detection area A and non-detection area B are divided based on the boundary L. In the flowchart of the setting process based on human detection described above, processing for the margin setting field 37 is omitted, but by moving the generated trajectory closer to the safety sensor 10 by the margin Ma, the process can be executed in the same manner as S365 and S370.

[0034] Next, the control unit 21 determines whether an output instruction to the safety sensor 10 has been issued based on whether the output button 38c has been operated (S380). If the control unit 21 determines that an output instruction has not been issued, the process proceeds to S395. If the control unit 21 determines that an output instruction has been issued, the control unit 21 outputs the setting information of the set detection area A and non-detection area B to the connected safety sensor 10 (S390), and then proceeds to S395.

[0035] The control unit 21 then determines whether an end command has been issued based on whether the end button 38e has been operated (S395). If it determines that an end command has not been issued, the control unit 21 returns to S365. If it determines that an end command has been issued, the control unit 21 terminates this process. In the setting process based on object detection, the designer sets the detection area A by detecting the object and determining the leading edge (boundary L) of the non-detection area B, making it easy to set the necessary detection area A. Although not shown in the flowchart, if the cancel button 38a is operated, the control unit 21 returns to S300 to cancel the currently set detection area A and regenerate the edge line (boundary L) of the object. If the save button 38b is operated, the control unit 21 saves the currently set detection area A (non-detection area B) in the memory unit 22. If the back button 38d is operated, the control unit 21 returns to the selection screen described above.

[0036] Here, the correspondence between the components of this embodiment and the components of the present disclosure will be clarified. The control unit 21 that executes S200 to S240 of the setting process by person detection in this embodiment corresponds to step (a) of the present disclosure, the control unit 21 that executes S250 to S270 of the same process corresponds to step (b), and the control unit 21 that executes S280 and S290 of the same process corresponds to step (c). Also, the control unit 21 that executes S300 to S330 of the setting process by object detection corresponds to step (a) of the present disclosure, the control unit 21 that executes S340 to S360 of the same process corresponds to step (b), and the control unit 21 that executes S380 and S390 of the same process corresponds to step (c). Furthermore, the control unit 21 that executes S200 to S240 of the setting process by person detection corresponds to the acquisition unit, the control unit 21 that executes S250 to S270 of the same process (excluding screen display) corresponds to the setting unit, and the control unit 21 that executes the screen display of S270 of the same process and the display screen 28 correspond to the display unit. Furthermore, the control unit 21 that executes S300 to S330 of the setting process by object detection corresponds to the acquisition unit, the control unit 21 that executes S340 to S360 of the same process (excluding screen display) corresponds to the setting unit, and the control unit 21 that executes the screen display of S360 of the same process and the display screen 28 correspond to the display unit.

[0037] In the detection area setting process (detection area setting method) of the embodiment described above, when an object (person, object) that can be detected in the usage environment of the safety sensor 10 is present in the detectable area, a detection result of the object detected by the safety sensor 10 is acquired, and a detection area A is set from the detectable area based on the acquired detection result. Therefore, there is no need to prepare an object solely for setting the detection area. Furthermore, since the detection result of the safety sensor 10 detecting an object that can be detected in the usage environment is used, it is possible to prevent the set environment from deviating from the actual usage environment. Furthermore, there is no need for a designer to perform cumbersome setting processes, such as setting various parameters. Furthermore, since setting information for the set detection area A can be output to the safety sensor 10, the effort required for setting the detection area A can be further reduced. Therefore, the detection area of ​​the safety sensor 10 can be appropriately set without any hassle.

[0038] Furthermore, in the detection area setting process, when a person as a detection target is present in the detectable area, the person moves sequentially through a plurality of positions and stops at each position, and a detection position Pn at which at least a part of the person's body is detected by the safety sensor 10 is acquired as a detection result for each of the plurality of positions. Then, a trajectory of the person's movement is generated based on the detection position Pn for each of the plurality of positions, and a detection area A and a non-detection area B are set from the detectable area using the trajectory as a boundary L. Therefore, the detection area A can be appropriately set by a simple method in which a person such as a designer or worker M moves sequentially through a plurality of positions and the safety sensor 10 detects at each position.

[0039] Furthermore, in the detection area setting process, when an object to be detected is present in the detectable area, the detection position of the object detected by the safety sensor 10 is acquired as the detection result. Then, an edge line of the object on the safety sensor 10 side is generated based on the detected position, and a detection area A and a non-detection area B are set from the detectable area using the edge line as the boundary L. Therefore, the detection area A can be appropriately set using a simple method for causing the safety sensor 10 to detect objects placed in the usage environment.

[0040] Furthermore, in the detection area setting process, the detection area A and the non-detection area B can be set by using the edge line moved closer to the safety sensor 10 by a margin Ma (margin distance) as the boundary L. Here, if the edge line is used as the boundary L as it is, for example, depending on the positional deviation or sensitivity of the safety sensor 10, an object may be easily included in the detection area A, which may result in frequent erroneous detection of objects that do not need to be detected. In this embodiment, by moving the edge line closer to the safety sensor 10 by the margin Ma, the boundary L can be set so as to suppress erroneous detection of objects, thereby enabling a more appropriate detection area to be set. Note that by using the trajectory of a person moved closer to the safety sensor 10 by the margin Ma instead of the edge line of the object as the boundary L, erroneous detection in unnecessary areas can similarly be suppressed.

[0041] Furthermore, in the detection area setting process, the detection area A based on the detection results is displayed on the display screen 28, so the designer can easily check the detection area A on the display screen 28, and can therefore reliably set the detection area A that the designer desires.

[0042] It goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be embodied in various forms as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0043] In the embodiment, the detection area A based on the detection result is displayed on the display screen 28, but this is not limiting, and the detection area A does not necessarily have to be displayed on the display screen 28. For example, when the control unit 21 determines that a setting operation has been performed in S250 of the setting process based on person detection, it is sufficient for the control unit 21 to set the detection area A and the non-detection area B using the trajectory as the boundary L, and it does not necessarily have to be displayed on the display screen 28. In the setting process based on object detection, it does not necessarily have to be displayed on the display screen 28. Furthermore, although the PC 20 has been exemplified as the detection area setting device, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like may also be used.

[0044] In the embodiment, the detection area A and the non-detection area B can be set using the boundary L with a margin Ma added to the trajectory or edge line in the setting process based on person detection and the setting process based on object detection, but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to set using the boundary L with a margin Ma added only in one of the setting processes based on person detection and the setting process based on object detection. Alternatively, it is not necessary to add such a margin Ma, and the margin setting field 37 on the detection area setting screen 35 may be omitted.

[0045] In the embodiment, the setting process using the detection target includes the setting process based on person detection and the setting process based on placed object detection. However, this is not limited to this, and only one of the setting process based on person detection and the setting process based on placed object detection may be executed. Furthermore, the detection area A of the safety sensor 10 may be set by executing both the setting process based on person detection and the setting process based on placed object detection. For example, the detection area A may be provisionally set by the setting process based on placed object detection, and then the setting process based on person detection may be executed by moving a person within the detection area A. Furthermore, the parameter setting field 32 may be displayed on the detection area setting screen 35, and the setting of the detection area A may be completed by accepting adjustments of various parameters for the detection area A set using the detection target.

[0046] In the embodiment, the setting process by person detection detects the position of the center of the chest, for example, on the person's body, but this is not limited thereto. For example, it is sufficient to detect at least a part of the person's body, such as by sequentially moving the person's hand to multiple positions and detecting the position of the person's hand. Furthermore, in the setting process by person detection, the generated trajectory is an arc (boundary L) outside the detection area A, but this is not limited thereto and the generated trajectory may be an arc inside the detection area A. That is, although the generated trajectory is set to the upper limit of the lower and upper limits of the "distance" described above, it may also be set to the lower limit. Furthermore, the lower limit and upper limit may each be set by performing the setting process by person detection twice.

[0047] In the embodiment, the detection area A is displayed two-dimensionally on the display screen 28, but this is not limiting and the detection area A may also be displayed three-dimensionally. Furthermore, the detection area A may be displayed three-dimensionally on goggles 60 worn by a designer such as a manager or worker M as an AR image (augmented reality image) or VR image (virtual reality image) of the usage environment. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of the safety sensor 10, the PC 20, and the goggles 60. In a modified example, the safety sensor 10 and the PC 20 are capable of wireless communication with the goggles 60. Note that, although a VR image will be described below as an example, this may also be applied to an AR image.

[0048] The goggles 60 include a control unit 61 having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., a display unit 62 having a liquid crystal panel, lenses, etc., which are placed in front of the eyes of the designer wearing the goggles, and a communication unit 63 which communicates with the safety sensor 10, the PC 20, etc. The goggles 60 also include a display button (not shown), and by operating the display button, the display of a stereoscopic image on the display unit 62 is started or ended. The goggles 60 also include a changeover switch 64, and by operating the changeover switch 64, the viewpoint of the VR image including the detection area A displayed stereoscopically can be changed.

[0049] In a modified example, the PC 20 is capable of outputting VR content of the robot 50 of the work system 40 and objects (such as the conveyor device 43, the mounting table 45, and the pillars 47) to the goggles 60. The safety sensor 10 is also provided with an output button (not shown), and when the designer operates the output button, information regarding the detection area A and the detection state, position information regarding the placement position, and the like can be output to the goggles 60. Note that the detection area A of the safety sensor 10, position information regarding the placement position, and the like may be output from the PC 20 to the goggles 60. The control unit 61 of the goggles 60 stereoscopically displays a VR image generated based on the VR content, the detection area A, and the like on the display unit 62.

[0050] FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a detection area display process, which is executed by the control unit 61 of the goggles 60. Also, FIGS. 16 to 18 are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of a three-dimensional display of a detection area A, for example, showing the detection area A of the safety sensor 10 disposed behind the robot 50 on the robot stand 41. In the detection area display process, the control unit 61 generates a VR image including the detection area A of the safety sensor 10 based on information received from the PC 20 and the safety sensor 10 (S400). Next, the control unit 61 determines whether the viewpoint switched by the selector switch 64 is a reference viewpoint (S410) or a bird's-eye viewpoint (S420). In this embodiment, the selector switch 64 can be used to switch between a reference viewpoint in which the detection area A is viewed from the safety sensor 10 side, a bird's-eye viewpoint in which the safety sensor 10 and the detection area A are viewed from outside the detection area A, and an opposite viewpoint in which the detection area A is viewed from the opposite side of the reference viewpoint.

[0051] When the control unit 61 determines in S410 that the viewpoint is the reference viewpoint, it displays a VR image at the reference viewpoint on the display unit 62 (S430, FIG. 16). At the reference viewpoint, an image is displayed in which the detection area A expands from the front side where the safety sensor 10 is located to the back side, as shown in FIG. 16. It is also assumed that the detection area A in FIGS. 16 to 18 is set to an area excluding the pillar 47, for example, in a setting process using object detection. Therefore, the VR image displayed on the display unit 62 displays the detection area A as well as the pillar 47, which is an object.

[0052] Furthermore, if the control unit 61 determines in S420 that the viewpoint is a bird's-eye view, it displays the VR image from the bird's-eye view on the display unit 62 (S440, FIG. 17). In the bird's-eye view, as shown in FIG. 17, an image is displayed in which the three-dimensional detection area A and the safety sensor 10 are viewed from the left outside the detection area A, and the pillar 47 is also displayed. Furthermore, if the control unit 61 determines in S420 that the viewpoint is not a bird's-eye view, it determines that the viewpoint is an opposite viewpoint, and displays the VR image from the opposite viewpoint on the display unit 62 (S450, FIG. 18). In the opposite viewpoint, as shown in FIG. 18, an image is displayed in which the detection area A converges from the front side toward the back side where the safety sensor 10 is located, and the pillar 47 is also displayed.

[0053] Next, the control unit 61 determines whether the viewpoint has been switched by operating the selector switch 64 (S460), and if it determines that the viewpoint has been switched, the process returns to S410. Therefore, even while the image is being displayed, the designer can switch to any viewpoint by operating the selector switch 64. Furthermore, if the control unit 61 determines that the viewpoint has not been switched, it determines whether an instruction to end the display has been issued by operating the display button (S470), and if it determines that an instruction to end the display has not been issued, the process returns to S460. Then, if the control unit 61 determines that an instruction to end the display has been issued, the control unit 61 ends the display of the VR image (S480) and ends this process.

[0054] In this way, in the modified example, the set detection area A is displayed three-dimensionally on the goggles 60 worn by the designer as a VR image of the work system 40 (usage environment). In addition, it is possible to switch between a reference viewpoint that views the detection area A from the safety sensor 10 side, a bird's-eye viewpoint that views the safety sensor 10 and the detection area A from outside the detection area A, and an opposite viewpoint that views the detection area A from the opposite side of the reference viewpoint. This allows the designer to more reliably grasp the detection area A, making it possible to set the detection area A appropriately without further effort.

[0055] In the modified example, the goggles 60 are switchable between a reference viewpoint, a bird's-eye view, and an opposite viewpoint. However, this is not limited thereto. It is sufficient that the goggles 60 are switchable between a reference viewpoint and a bird's-eye view, and they do not necessarily need to be switched to an opposite viewpoint. Furthermore, although not shown in the drawings, since detection status information is output from the safety sensor 10, the detection status (multiple detection points of the object being detected) may be included in and displayed as a VR image. As described above, AR images may be used instead of VR images. For example, the goggles 60 may be configured to display a detection area A adjusted to the size of the work system 40 (usage environment) seen through the lenses. Furthermore, when the control unit 61 is located in a location where the designer can see the safety sensor 10 from a bird's-eye view and the selector switch 64 is switched to the bird's-eye view, the control unit 61 may display a detection area A, as shown in FIG. 17 , on the work system 40 and safety sensor 10 seen through the lenses of the goggles 60. Furthermore, when the designer is positioned near the reference viewpoint of the safety sensor 10 and the changeover switch 64 is switched to the reference viewpoint, the control unit 61 may display the detection area A shown in FIG. 16 on the work system 40 that can be seen through the lens portion of the goggles 60.

[0056] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing the "detection area setting method according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 5, which was originally filed, to "detection area setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 4," and the technical idea of ​​changing the "detection area setting method according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 6, which was originally filed, to "detection area setting method according to any one of claims 1 to 5."

[0057] The present disclosure can be used to set the detection area of ​​a safety sensor.

[0058] 10 Safety sensor, 11, 21, 61 Control unit, 12 Sensor unit, 13, 23, 63 Communication unit, 18 Communication line, 20 PC (detection area setting device), 22 Memory unit, 27 Input unit, 28 Display screen (display unit), 30, 35 Detection area setting screen, 31a, 31b, 36 Detection area display field, 32 Parameter setting field, 33a, 38a Cancel button, 33b, 38b Save button, 33c, 38c Output button, 33d, 38d Back button, 33e, 38e End button, 34, 39 Instruction pointer, 37 Margin setting field, 40 Work system, 41 Robot stand, 43 Conveyor device, 43a Roller conveyor, 43b End table, 45 Placement table, 45a Placement area, 47 Pillar, 50 Robot, 52 Robot arm, 54 End effector, 60 goggles, 62 display unit (lens unit), 64 changeover switch, A detection area, B non-detection area, M worker, P object, Pa knob unit.

Claims

1. A detection area setting method for setting a detection area of a safety sensor, comprising: (a) obtaining a detection result in which the object is detected by the safety sensor in a state where the object that can be detected in the usage environment of the safety sensor exists in the detectable area of the safety sensor; (b) setting the detection area from the detectable area based on the detection result obtained in step (a); and (c) outputting the setting information of the detection area set in step (b) to the safety sensor.

2. In step (a), in a state where a person exists in the detectable area as the object, each time the person sequentially moves to a plurality of positions and stops at each position, the detection position when at least a part of the person's body is detected by the safety sensor is obtained for each of the plurality of positions as the detection result. In step (b), a trajectory of the person's movement is generated based on the detection positions for each of the plurality of positions, and the detection area and the non-detection area are set from the detectable area with the trajectory as a boundary. The detection area setting method according to claim 1.

3. In step (a), in a state where an arrangement exists in the detectable area as the object, the detection position when the arrangement is detected by the safety sensor is obtained as the detection result. In step (b), an edge on the safety sensor side of the arrangement is generated based on the detection position, and the detection area and the non-detection area are set from the detectable area with the edge as a boundary. The detection area setting method according to claim 1.

4. In step (b), the detection area and the non-detection area are set with what is obtained by moving the trajectory or the edge closer to the safety sensor side by a predetermined margin distance as the boundary. The detection area setting method according to claim 2 or 3.

5. In step (b), the set detection area is displayed on a predetermined display screen together with the detection result. The detection area setting method according to claim 1 or 2.

6. (d) including a step of three-dimensionally displaying the detection area set in step (b) on goggles worn by a designer by including the detection area in an augmented reality image or a virtual reality image in the usage environment, and in step (d), at least a reference viewpoint for viewing the detection area from the safety sensor side and an overhead viewpoint for viewing the safety sensor and the detection area from outside the detection area can be switched and displayed, the detection area setting method according to claim 1 or 2.

7. A detection area setting device for setting a detection area of a safety sensor, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires a detection result in which the target is detected by the safety sensor in a state where the target that can be detected in the usage environment of the safety sensor exists in the detectable area of the safety sensor; a setting unit that sets the detection area from the detectable area based on the acquired detection result; and a display unit that displays the set detection area together with the acquired detection result.

Images