Intelligent personal protection system in work facilities

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intelligent safety system in work structures, which comprises a primary control unit - PCU - (110) integrated into personal safety devices (111) and wearable by an operator (10). The PCU (110) comprises a plurality of sensors for monitoring the personal safety devices (111) and thus the safety of the operator (10). A virtual gate (130) identifies the entry / exit points of the operator (10) to the structures, selecting or deselecting a predetermined safety mode and transmitting commands to a secondary control unit - SCU - (120), which activates this mode according to these commands and other parameters. The SCU (120) is worn by the operator (10) and receives data from the PCU (110) and the virtual gate (130), and determines the status of the personal safety devices, and sends the data to a server (160) that is able to process them and establish the level of danger. A dashboard and a mobile application in the central unit (160) allow remote monitoring and control of the "work at height" mode.

Description

Intelligent personal protection system in work structures

[0001] This invention concerns an intelligent system of individual protection in work structures.Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention concerns an intelligent personal protection system, in particular a safety harness, designed to improve safety measures for workers working at heights or in other hazardous environments. The system is particularly suitable for use on construction sites, prefabrication yards, and offshore installations.Description of the State of the Art:

[0003] Based on a report published in 2019, the construction industry accounts for 50% of all fatal accidents in industries, of which about 40% are related to falls from work at height. When working at height, for example on construction sites, workers are required to wear safety harnesses to prevent falls.

[0004] Work at height often takes place on so-called scaffolding. Scaffolding is a stable, temporary, loadbearing modular structure that creates a primary barrier against any possible involuntary fall from a height thanks to parapets, kick plates, and safety nets.

[0005] In theory, the design of a scaffold should follow a predetermined sequence of building activities, and therefore should be free of holes, meaning by thisterm both physical openings of the scaffold and work situations that leave room for possible falls from heights greater than 2 meters.

[0006] In the reality of large construction sites, the complexity is such that it is practically impossible to determine each individual construction activity a priori. Therefore, the construction sequences follow a development that is predetermined only at a general level. For this reason, there may be operations that require access to areas, for example, for the installation of electrical systems or pipes, in which the parapets must be temporarily removed to allow the work.

[0007] There are therefore situations in which the holes in the primary fall protection barrier must be managed through secondary barriers such as safety harnesses fixed to anchor points.

[0008] In a real operational situation, the legislative system has put in place rules and implementation procedures that provide, for the specific case of scaffolding, to identify the intrinsic safety of the scaffolding through labels ("tags" ) placed at its entrance:- green tag: indicates an intrinsically safe scaffold, thus indicating that the scaffold has been inspected and complies with safety standards against any possible involuntary fall from a height;~ yellow tag: indicates that the scaffolding needs attention or maintenance, is not immediatelydangerous, and can be brought to a completely safe condition, for example through the use of safety harnesses fixed to anchor points;~ red tag: indicates that the scaffolding is not safe, cannot be returned to a completely safe condition, and therefore must not be used at all.

[0009] The following European standards exist in this regard:~ Regulation (EC) No. 765 / 2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 sets out rules on accreditation and market surveillance with regard to the marketing of products.~ Decision No. 768 / 2008 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on a common framework for the marketing of products.- Directive 2014 / 34 EU (Atex).

[0010] Safety harnesses are PPE, Personal Protective Equipment (personal safety device), which include:A) straps that essentially have the function of uniform distribution of the forces coming from the safety ropes;B) safety hooks that connect the harness to a point or to a fixing line;C) coupling rings;D) adjustment systems;E) safety ropes; andF) shock absorption systems, typically positioned in the connection between the body belt and the rope to absorb the impact when a fall is stopped, as well as a rope winder with a locking mechanism.

[0011] Before working at height in a yellow scaffolding situation with a potential fall risk, a worker attaches the hook to a restraint point or line. If the safety harnesses are used correctly, the fall energy is determined by the fall factor (f) = ratio between the fall height (h) and the length of the rope (L) and by the off-axis of the hook with respect to the body.

[0012] Nevertheless, the reality is unfortunately different, and numerous accidents occur due to a series of negative factors, including increasingly large projects, and therefore with an inherent complexity of safety control, numerous simultaneous activities, erroneous perception of risk, habituation to working at height, complex construction sequences, erroneous tendency to prioritize production over safety, as well as errors in the use of the harnesses themselves.

[0013] As for the hooks, there are sensorized versions that:A. use two main functions of the sensorized hook (Fig. 1):Al. detect the hook's fastening status;A2. detect the position of the hook and, in general, reproduce the context in which the worker works / behaves.B) use a wide range of sensors.

[0014] By way of example only, there are solutions that use optical sensors to identify the open / closed status of the hook. Existing solutions are dedicated to solving specific problems related to the use of opticalsensors. Then there are solutions that use inertial platforms to identify the position of the hook, for example based on Arduino.

[0015] Such data can be communicated to a cloud server, for example on a mobile network that can record data in a database and possibly transmit warning and / or alert signals to the cloud server if, for example, a worker has fallen on the spot, activating a rescue unit.

[0016] Despite their importance in preventing accidents, there are several issues related to the use and effectiveness of such intelligent devices in relation to the structure on which these devices must be connected, including:~ the addition of electronic functions on current harnesses is too invasive, modifying elements (i. e. hook) whose reliability is conversely consolidated, increasing their complexity and therefore the risk of malfunction;~ the constituent components of the digital network architecture are not integrated with the management and control software and therefore do not seem to be able to automatically identify the context and therefore broader risk situations than the simple closing and opening of the hook of a safety belt; ~ they fail to detect the direction of the worker's movement and therefore to position them within the work structure (e. g. scaffolding).

[0017] WO 2017 / 106432 Al (DI) describes a system for monitoring compliance with the use of PPE in a work environment. The system uses micro-sensors, for exampleBLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) type, integrated into various PPE such as helmets, protective glasses, and gloves. These sensors communicate the status of the PPE (for example, if it is worn correctly, if it is of the appropriate type for the area) to a transceiver device worn by the worker, for example on the belt. The wearable device also determines the worker's location, via GPS or local beacons, and communicates data relating to the location and status of the PPE to a central software platform, for example cloud-based. This platform maps the work areas, defines the compliance rules for PPE based on the worker's role, location and time, and generates alerts in case of non-compliance detected in real time. DI therefore focuses on verifying the correct adoption and use of different types of PPE based on predefined contextual rules. However, DI does not specifically address the monitoring of the coupling status of the connectors of a safety harness to anchor points, nor does it implement a system for the dynamic assessment of the risk of falling.

[0018] KHAN MUHAMMAD ET AL., " Tag and IoT based safety hook monitoring for prevention of falls from height", AUTOMATION IN CONSTRUCTION, vol. 136, 2022 (D2) describes a hybrid system that combines artificial vision (tags) and IoT sensors to monitor the use of safety hooks and prevent falls from height, specifically in the context of scaffolding. The system uses a CCTV camera to detect tags (AprilTag) placed on workers ' helmets when they enter or leave a risk zone (defined by a reference line). Entering the zone activates an IoTdevice (" Smart Safety Hook", SSH) mounted on the safety hook. This SSH device includes an inertial sensor (IMU) and a pressure / altimeter sensor. When the worker is at a height above a threshold (e. g., 6 feet, detected by the altimeter on the SSH), the IMU is used to classify the status of the hook ("hooked to the worker", "not hooked", "hooked to the scaffolding" ) through a machine learning model. The "hooked to the worker" and "not hooked" states are considered unsafe and trigger a local alarm (buzzer, LED) on the SSH. The data (worker ID, entry / exit status, height, hook status) is sent to a web management platform (WBMP) and a cloud server (BCS) for supervisor monitoring and logging.

[0019] There is a need to provide an intelligent personal protection system, including a safety device such as a safety harness. Once worn and activated, the device should automatically identify working at height situations and provide information on the correct use of connectors for secure anchor points. In non-compliant situations, an alarm signal should be activated, thus assisting workers in the correct use of safety harnesses during work at height and helping site supervisors to monitor the adoption of safety measures. To this end, high accuracy in position detection is important in complex environments because they are dense with materials, equipment and rich in different and numerous work areas close to each other. It is therefore essential to accurately determine the position of the individual protection devices so as to avoid the numerous possible cases of false positives and false negatives.Purpose and object of the invention

[0020] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent personal protection system that solves the problems and overcomes the drawbacks of the known technique.

[0021] The object of this invention is a system according to the attached claims.Detailed description of examples of the invention' s embodimentList of figures

[0022] The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Figure 1 shows an example of fall factors, according to a form of embodiment of the invention;- Figure 2 shows a simplified diagram of the system architecture according to the invention according to a different embodiment;- Figure 3 shows a block diagram of the SCU according to a specific embodiment;~ figure 4 shows a state diagram of the SCU according to a specific embodiment;-figure 5 shows an exemplary diagram of the virtual gate, according to one aspect of the present invention;~ figure 6 shows a state diagram of the SCU logic, according to a specific aspect of the presentinvention;- Figure 7 shows a state diagram of the PCU according to a specific aspect of the present invention.

[0023] It is specified here that elements of different embodiments can be combined together to provide further embodiments without limits while respecting the technical concept of the invention, as the average technician in the field understands without problems from what has been described.

[0024] This description also refers to the technique known for its implementation, with regard to the detailed features not described, such as, for example, elements of minor importance usually used in the technique known in solutions of the same type.

[0025] When an element is introduced, it is always understood that it can be "at least one" or "one or more".

[0026] When a list of elements or features is listed in this description, it is understood that the invention according to the invention "comprises" or alternatively "is composed of" such elements.

[0027] When listing features within the same sentence or bulleted list, one or more of the individual features may be included in the invention without connection to the other features in the list.Forms of construction

[0028] The system is suitable for usage on construction sites, prefabrication yards, and offshore installations / vessels in various geographical areas. Themain use case concerns the assembly, use, and disassembly of scaffolding. The professional figure of reference who will have to use the device is the scaffolder; other workers who work at height on construction sites / sites will still be able to wear it and be monitored during activities at height. The system must be able to function properly even in situations where the use of scaffolding is not foreseen (e. g. work / inspection on large equipment involving work at height) as long as metal attachment elements such as lifelines, anchor points, etc. are present.

[0029] In the following, explicit reference will be made to the safety harness equipped with one or more connectors, but what has been said applies to a generic personal safety device (for example, but not limited to, shoes or gloves or helmets or headphones), not necessarily equipped with connectors but worn by an operator.

[0030] Referring to Fig. 2, the 100 intelligent safety harness system according to the invention offers several combinable features:1. Primary Control Unit (PCU) 110 with Sensor Integration: the PCU incorporates advanced sensor technology, e. g. one or more of kinetic, pressure, induction and capacitive sensors, to monitor the status of the (one or more) mechanical connectors 111 of the PPE (or the status of other PPE even without connectors) and / or the attachment of the operator 10 to anchorage points (one or more elements) of a safety structure 20 (in particularmetal, e. g. certified lifeline; this applies only where the PPE has mechanical connectors) with the one or more mechanical connectors, possibly the position of the mechanical connectors (e. g. placed on the chest or pelvis attached to the metal or plastic rings installed on the harness worn by the operator). The PCU may also process data, for example by distinguishing between open and closed connectors, identifying secure and unsecure anchor points, or identifying other PPE states. In the case of a mechanical connector (111), the PCU may include a respective PCU atmospheric pressure sensor. The PCU comprises a PCU communication unit for transmitting said PCU data.Secondary Control Unit (SCU) 120: the SCU, worn by the operator, processes information from one or more PCUs with or without mechanical connectors (e. g. helmets, gloves and shoes). The SCU can be equipped with its own sensors, such as a pressure sensor for altitude detection. Based on the processing of such data, the SCU can detect falls (or other states) of the operator wearing the SCU / PCU and can provide data on the dynamics of the fall (or other change of state). In the case of the atmospheric pressure sensor, the SCU also measures the difference in height between itself and the PCU 110 (receiving from the latter a pressure datum on the PCU itself), and on this basis can emit corresponding alarms (for example through a speaker integrated in the SCU). The SCUmay also transmit the collected data to a server 160, either directly or through a "concentrator" (router) 150 that collects data from various (one or more) SCUs at the site of operations that comprise the structure. The SCU comprises a data reception module for receiving the data of PCU 110 and the data and / or commands from said at least one virtual gate 130;Virtual Gate 130 for selecting or deselecting the " Work at Height" Mode (or other safety mode): the virtual gate (comprising one or more beacons placed at a height in the elevated structure) identifies and circumscribes (dynamically) the spatial extension of the entry / exit points to / from the elevated structures. The system selects or deselects the "work at height" mode (or other safety mode) when the operator passes through the virtual gate (for example, after a predefined time from the passage). The virtual gate 130 can also deactivate this mode when the operator exits the safety structure (for example, an elevated structure). The virtual gate (s) transmit data and / or commands relating to said safety mode to the SCU.Real-Time Monitoring and Alarm System: the SCU provides real-time monitoring of the PPE status (e. g., operator coupling) and activates local alarms, for example, through means that the SCU itself is equipped with (alarms that may include one or more of vibration, optical and / or soundsignal) if the operator ' s PPE status is not the one expected in that position, for example, if the operator does not secure one or both mechanical connectors to a secure anchor point. The alarm signals can also be transmitted to a supervisor of the work area and to a control dashboard for immediate action.Concentrator for Aggregation and Data Analysis: The concentrator is only optional and is a router positioned within or near the work area. It collects information from all the SCUs present in the monitored work environment. The concentrator provides data on the positions of the workers, the coupling status, and the manual deactivation of the "work at height" mode, having collected them from the SCUs and preferably also from the virtual gates.Remote Monitoring Server 160 (optional, the SCU can also act alone): a remote server 160 (also mobile), possibly connected to the concentrator, and preferably with a graphical interface equipped with a dashboard, allows remote monitoring of the "work at height" conditions. A supervisor can check the status of the PCU-SCU pairs, check which PCUs are in the correct state (e. g. hooked), manage the alarms and control the activation and deactivation / reactivation of the "work at height" mode by sending commands to the SCU. The application also supports the transmission and analysis of data in real time, includingstatistical analysis (e. g., number of workers working at height in a given work area, % of time spent in a compliant / non-compliant situation, % of time spent with one or two connectors attached) and predictive risk assessments based on the data collected (e. g., with the fall factor shown in Fig.1) •

[0031] The SCU comprises an electronic processing unit configured to process said PCU data 110 and / or said data and / or commands, determine the status of said one or more personal safety devices 111, activate or deactivate said safety mode based on said data and / or commands, as well as based on the relative height between each PCU 110 and the SCU 120 determined as a function of the measurements of said atmospheric pressure sensor of the PCU 110 and of said atmospheric pressure sensor of the SCU 120, wherein said safety mode is a working mode at the height of said one virtual gate 130. The SCU also comprises an alarm module configured to emit one or more alarms based on said correspondence. The SCU may also comprise a gyroscope for detecting the orientation of the operator 10, which orientation can be used by the supervisor. According to one aspect of the invention, the SCU 120 may include an emergency button configured to allow the operator 10 to manually activate an alarm. The PCU may comprise a GPS module to determine the precise position of the operator 10 and possibly provide it to the central control unit.

[0032] According to one aspect of the invention, a two-stage synergistic logic is operated, made possibleby its distributed architecture. The system is designed to be both highly effective and energy efficient.

[0033] In the first phase of contextual activation via "virtual gates", the virtual gates 130, generated by low-power beacons, function as intelligent triggers. Their sole purpose is to detect the entry or exit of an operator from a predefined high-risk area. It is a simple and event-based mechanism. Upon detecting the entrance, the gate transmits a command to the operator control unit (SCU, 120), activating the "work at height" safety mode. This contextual activation ensures that the most energy-intensive monitoring functions are used only when strictly necessary, preserving battery life and preventing false alarms in safe areas.

[0034] In a second phase of dynamic risk assessment, the "work at height" safety mode, activated by the gate, requires the SCU to perform a dynamic and continuous risk assessment. This is made possible by the physical separation between the anchor point control unit (PCU, 110), located on the safety line connector, and the SCU 120 positioned on the operator ' s body.

[0035] The SCU continuously compares atmospheric pressure readings from both units to determine the precise relative vertical distance ("h") between the anchor and the operator. The technical means for this measurement are consolidated: modern MEMS barometric sensors offer resolutions capable of detecting altitude variations of less than 5 centimeters. By using two of these sensors in a differential configuration, the system cancels the common atmospheric drift (e. g. due tometeorological changes), allowing an accurate and reliable measurement of "h". This dynamically monitored "h" value is used to assess a number of fall hazards that static systems are unable to detect.

[0036] The SCU can then be configured to check if "h" corresponds to a risk condition, including (but not limited to):- High fall factor: a strongly positive "h" value (the operator is far below the anchor point) or negative (the operator has climbed above the anchor point) can lead to a fall factor (f = h / L) above the safety limits (e. g. > 1).- Excessive slack in the safety line: a high "h" value, even with the operator below the anchor, indicates a dangerous rope play, which would increase the fall distance and the impact force. - " Low Hang, High Use" violation: a significantly negative "h" value, where the anchor point is below the operator.

[0037] If one of these risk conditions is verified, the alarm module is activated. This two-stage synergistic operation, in which a simple trigger activates a sophisticated dynamic analysis, provides a level of safety monitoring that is clearly superior to the state of the art.

[0038] The system can be configured for use in various geographical locations (e. g. remote sites in the desert or offshore) and in general in operating sites with potentially limited connectivity or in areas where theuse of mobile phones is prohibited. Below is an example of communication between the various (sub)systems:- Communication between PCU and SCU: BLE 5.0;- Communication between SCU and Concentrator: TBD (depending on the work area);~ 4G / 5G (e.g. with physical SIM);- Wi-Fi;- Communication between concentrator and dashboard:4G / 5G / Cable.

[0039] The system can be designed to operate in extreme temperatures, high humidity and environments with limited connectivity. Communication between PCU and SCU can use BLE 5.0, while communication between SCU and concentrator can use 4G / 5G or Wi-Fi or similar, depending on the work area. The system can ensure compliance with relevant safety and certification standards.

[0040] In particular, the PCU 110 may be a first electronic control unit integral with a sensorized hook fixed to a harness (not shown). The first control unit can be connected to or comprise one or more transducers, including at least one barometer and an antenna, thus representing a node of a digital network architecture. The first electronic control unit can be equipped with hardware / software means for a first processing of the data to be transmitted to the SCU.

[0041] Referring to Fig. 3, in a specific embodiment the SCU 130 may comprise the following components:- a back-up battery 120-a (optional);- one or more primary batteries 10d, 120c chargeable through USB port 120-b;- an RTC, Real Time Clock, 102-e;- an LDO, Low Dropout Regulator, 120-f which supplies voltage to a BLE module (or other connectivity module) 120-q;- an LDO, Low Dropout Regulator, 120-g which supplies voltage to one or more of an IMU module 120-r, a barometer 120-s, a memory (EEPROM) 120-t;- an LDO with active antenna 120-h, which supplies voltage to a GPS antenna 120-n, which is connected to an LTE / GPS module 120-o, possibly connected to a SIM card 120-p;- a DC-DC 120-m transformer that supplies voltage to the LTE / GPS 120-o module;- an LTE antenna possibly connected to the LTE / GPS module 120-o.

[0042] The virtual gate 130 may comprise a second electronic control unit that couples with the first control unit to identify the passage, distance and movement of the first control unit in relation to the second control unit. The second control unit simultaneously sends a command to the first control unit (of the SCU) by modifying a status parameter of the latter ( " Gate_status " ). The virtual gate may include a pressure sensor.

[0043] Referring to Fig. 5, thanks to the positioning of a plurality of virtual gates 130 within a work area, it is therefore possible to detect the passage and the direction / travel direction 133 of the operator from these virtual gates 130 and therefore model the movement of people. This is possible, for example, by detectingthe passage of the operator through at least two virtual gates 130, for example according to an interference logic 132 between configurable coverage areas 131 of two successive virtual gates (thus also determining the direction 133 of the passage). It is also possible to determine a safety mode based on the passage through three or more virtual gates.

[0044] The server or central electronic unit 160 (optional) collects the information received and / or processed by the nodes constituted by the various SCUs, including for example the status of parameters such as the status of the gate, of the work at height, of the harness hook (open / closed), the safe / unsafe status of the PPE (anchored or other), or other physical parameters (environmental and / or biometric of the operator) acquired from corresponding SCU sensors, and can possibly carry out the following operations:- correlating the parameters, for example the status of the " Work at height" GATE with the status of the hook (safe / not safe) or other PPE and therefore with the correct use of personal safety devices, alerting in case of anomalies; and / or- estimating the risk of falling from a height, calculating on the basis of the two height measurements, the relative distance between the primary PCU unit and the secondary SCU unit and then calculating a fall factor value, for example as f = h / L, where h is the height of the fall and L the length of the rope (e. g. rope 115 in cf. Figure 1); and / or- verifying the correspondence between one or more PCU states, said safety mode and said further one or more physical parameters, the alarm module being configured to emit one or more alarms based on said correspondence;~ sending commands to the various SCUs 120.

[0045] The Gate_status determines if the person has crossed the gates and if they are currently enabled to access the work area, for example enabling the WORK_at_HEIGHT status in the SCU in the risk areas and in this case evaluates if the hook has been attached (if so, no alarm is triggered). If the hook (s) has / have not been attached, the status parameter enters ALARM mode which provides a local alarm (for the person, through an alarm emitting device, for example integrated in the SCU) and an alarm in the user interface 160 of the remote server 160.

[0046] In one embodiment, each coupling device 110, such as the sensorized hook, and each first control unit 120 are equipped with a precision pressure sensor, so as to be able to calculate the fall factor based on the detected pressure difference (which corresponds to a difference in altitude). The pressure sensor can be suitable for providing extreme accuracy, for example it can be capable of measuring height variations of 8 cm.

[0047] In a different embodiment, which can be combined with the other embodiments in this description, the sensor-equipped hook uses sensors to detect the open or closed state of the hook and is configured to detect whether the closed hook encloses a cable or a tube orother structural element within its perimeter and therefore if there is a connection to an anchor point.

[0048] In all embodiments, other monitored PCUs may have other sensors for their monitoring. In all embodiments, the working at height mode can be a different working mode, not necessarily linked to height, but linked to another safety parameter (such as the risk of falling objects from above with respect to a helmet worn). Within the monitored work structure, PCU / SCU / gate related to height and PCU / SCU / gate related to another safety parameter can coexist.

[0049] In one embodiment, the first control unit or SCU 120 comprises an antenna for communicating with the control panel 160, and / or one or more accelerometers (e. g., integrated on inertial platforms, IMU – Inertial Measurement Unit), and / or a GPS, and / or acoustic alarm devices.

[0050] The working method of the system described above may include the execution of the following steps: A. selecting or deselecting, by at least one virtual gate 130, a predetermined safety mode based on an operator 10 passing through at least one virtual gate 130;B. transmitting, by said at least one virtual gate 130, data and / or commands relating to said safety mode to the SCU 120 of said one operator 10;C. processing, by the SCU 120, said data and / or commands and activating or deactivating the safety mode based on said data and / or commands;D. transmitting, by each of said one or more PCUs 110,said PCU data to said SCU 120;E. determining, by said SCU 120, the status of said one or more personal safety devices 111, 115, based on said PCU data, wherein said status includes the relative height between each PCU and the SCU determined as a function of the measurements of said PCU atmospheric pressure sensor and said SCU atmospheric pressure sensor;F. verifying, by the SCU 120, the correspondence between said state and said safety mode, wherein said safety mode is a working at height mode;G. activating or deactivating, by the SCU 120, said alarm module.

[0051] According to one aspect of the invention, in step B the predetermined safety mode is selected or deselected based on a passage of the operator 10 through at least two virtual gates 130 in sequence.

[0052] According to a different aspect of the invention, the SCU 120 comprises one or more SCU sensors configured to detect one or more additional physical parameters, and wherein in phase F the SCU 120 verifies the correspondence between said state, said safety mode, and said one or more additional physical parameters.

[0053] According to a further independent aspect of the invention, in the case of a mechanical connector 111, said PCU 110 comprises a coupling sensor of said mechanical connector 111 to an element 20 of the elevated structure, and in phase E the SCU 120 verifies the coupling of said mechanical connector to said element 20 on the basis of the data of said coupling sensor.

[0054] In particular, with regard to the operating states activated by the SCU, in the WORK_AT_HEIGHT state:- if the operator attaches the safety hooks before the activation time of the Safety Mode alarm has elapsed, it switches to the SAFE state, otherwise Safety Mode switches to the ALARM state;- if the remote deactivation command is sent, the Safety Mode returns to the ENABLED state.

[0055] In the SAFE state, the Safety Mode remains in the SAFE state until the remote deactivation command (PAIRED) is sent or the operator does not fall below the activation height (ENABLED) or at least one hook is released for a predetermined time or both carabiners are released (ALARM), or another safety parameter linked to the PPE is changed.

[0056] In the ALARM state, the Safety Mode remains in this state until the remote deactivation command is sent or until both carabiners are hooked (or another PPE state is restored). The alarm is activated by local buzzers and / or sent via the network to the software of the first control unit.

[0057] From an operational point of view, the system of the invention can be operated as follows.

[0058] Before starting operations at height, each worker 10 must wear the personal protective equipment of the invention (with at least one PCU and one SCU). To access the scaffolding or a vertical structure where there is a danger of falling from a height, a virtual gate 130 can be provided (which can be used to control different safety areas with different safety parametersover time, by the management of the construction site or other structure, for example as the floors of a building are added) that can communicate with the device worn by the operator (s) (SCU 120).

[0059] The "work at height" mode (or other predetermined safety mode) will be activated when the following conditions occur:1. Passage of the device 120 worn by the operator near the entrance area to the scaffolding where a virtual gate 130 will be installed (with the possibility of setting an activation delay after the passage); and optionally:2. Detection of an absolute difference in altitude (calibratable, understood as meters above sea level) between the virtual gate 130 and the SCU device 120 worn by the operator. The detection must also work in the case of work that is carried out at height even below sea level (e.g. inside excavations).

[0060] Once the "work at height" mode (or other predetermined safety mode) has been activated or selected, the worker 10 must secure both hooks 110 (coupling elements) to a safe anchorage point 20 (e. g. metal) (e. g. certified lifeline). If the worker wearing the device fails to secure himself with one or two hooks to the support structure, a local alarm signal must be triggered with the SCU 120 (via vibration and optical / audible warning). The signal must also reach the team supervisor and a control panel 160 located in a control room available to site management.

[0061] In one embodiment, if the worker wearing the PCU / SCU 110 / 120 requests it (for example, by pressing a request key), the team supervisor can deactivate the activated safety mode. The supervisor will then be able to restore the safety mode on the same device, via the graphical interface described above.

[0062] The virtual gate allows the "work at height" mode to be activated or deactivated depending on whether the operator accesses or leaves the scaffolding or elevated structure.

[0063] For some types of work (e. g., where there is no scaffolding), site management can activate the safety mode for specific needs, regardless of the passage of the virtual gate.

[0064] According to one aspect of the invention, once the safety mode is activated, the PCU / SCU device will transmit the information in real time to the control center.

[0065] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the operator ' s actions on the PPE are not monitored, but the SCU sends generic alarms relating to the selected safety mode.

[0066] According to a preferred embodiment, the operational logic according to which the SCU activates the "work at height" mode is based on the passage of the operator through a virtual gate, which corresponds to the entry of the operator into the risk zone of falling from a height.

[0067] Consequently, in this as in the other embodiments, there is a difference between enablingoperator monitoring, carried out by the gate, and the actual activation of a safety mode, which can be work at height or another mode as described above.

[0068] Referring to Fig. 4, we refer to an embodiment of the method that models the movement of an operator 10 within the elevated structure and that determines the activation of the SCU 120.

[0069] The purpose of this method is achieved, for example, through a GATE parameter that changes dynamically, for example, when the operator passes through the multiplicity of virtual gates and optionally on the basis of the operator ' s distance with respect to this multiplicity of virtual gates; this distance is identified by the status of the parameter (ADV) detected by the SCU 120 on the basis of the signal emitted by the virtual gate 130.

[0070] The relationship 200 between movement and GATE and ADV parameters is described by way of non-limiting example as follows:- At the initial position 201, the operator is outside the work area: the GATE parameter in 204 is set to zero and the SCU is deactivated in 202;- if the operator passes through the first virtual gate, the ADV1 parameter, corresponding to the signal received from the first virtual gate, passes in 207 to 1 and the GATE state passes to GATE1; - In the GATE1 state:- if the operator goes back through the first virtual gate in 206, the ADV1 parameter returns to 0 and the GATE status returns to zero,- if the operator moves forward with respect to the first virtual gate and reaches in 211 the area of influence of both the first and the second virtual gate, then the ADV2 parameter, corresponding to the signal received from the second virtual gate, passes to 1 and the GATE state passes to GATE1_2 in 213,In the GATE 1_2 state:- If the operator returns in 210 with respect to the area of influence of the first and second virtual gates, then the ADV2 parameter, corresponding to the signal received from the second virtual gate, passes to 0 and the GATE state returns to GATE1, - if the operator continues forward with respect to the area of influence of the first and second virtual gates in 215, then the ADV1 parameter, corresponding to the signal received from the first virtual gate, passes to 0 and the GATE state passes to GATE2 in 216,In the GATE2 state:- if the operator continues forward in 221 with respect to the area of influence of the second virtual gate, then the ADV2 parameter, corresponding to the signal received from the second virtual gate, passes to 0 and the GATE state passes to ENABLE in 219, which corresponds to the activation of the SCU;- if the operator returns in 218 to the area of influence of the second virtual gate, then the ADV2 parameter, corresponding to the signal receivedfrom the second virtual gate, switches to 1 and the ENABLE state switches to GATE2 in 216, which corresponds to the SCU not yet activated.

[0071] Referring now to Fig. 6, an embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of non-limiting example, in which there is a possible succession of states 400 of the SCU towards the activation (and not only the enabling) of the working at height mode (or in general of any safe working mode), as follows (the previous states of Fig. 7 concern the enabling of the SCU and not the activation of the safety mode):- from the connection state 413, it is possible to switch to the enabled or disabled gate state (see Fig. 4) 418 by setting a GATE_EN parameter to 1 or 0 respectively;- from the enabled state 418 it is possible to pass to the working at height state in 419 if Ascu > AEN, i. e. if the height of the SCU relative to the gate is greater than a predetermined threshold or by remote control after a certain time from the enabling, or this state can be deactivated in 420 when this condition no longer occurs or there is a remote deactivation; this working at height mode can be confirmed or not on the basis of a time parameter that runs from the activation;- in the work at height safety mode in 421, it is possible to switch in 426 to an alarm state 430 if, for example, the time elapsed since activation exceeds an alarm time limit or based on another parametric determination based on sensor data (seeabove); alternatively, in 422, the system can switch to the safe state 424 if the operator engages the hook before this alarm time limit;- from the alarm state 430 it is possible to pass in 427 to a safe state 424 under certain conditions such as a remote command or if the operator engages the hook; if these conditions no longer exist, the state in 429 passes back to the alarm state 430.

[0072] Referring to Fig. 7, the PCU, for its part, moves between a possible series of states 300, by way of example and not limitation as follows:~ starting from a starting state 301, the PCU can be brought to a standby state 304, and this can be reconfirmed if a time parameter t is less than a coupling time threshold with the SCU;~ if, on the other hand, the condition on the time parameter is opposite, it passes in 305 to the inactive state 308;- if then the data of the accelerometer ΔCCis greater than a certain ΔIDLEthreshold, the state returns in 306 to the standby state 304;- from the standby state 304, the coupling parameter PAIR_EN can be set equal to 1 in 310 and the state can become the enabled state 312, and can return the inactive one by setting in 309 PAIR_EN=0; the enabled state can be confirmed in 312.

[0073] Two or more of the parts (elements, devices, systems) described above can be freely associated and considered as a kit of parts according to the invention.Advantages of the invention

[0074] The system described above is designed to maximize ease of use for the operator and for the end user (e. g. HSE supervisor) taking into account various factors (number of false positives on total events, maximum weight of the device, robustness and impact resistance, ease of use, possibility of the SCU to adhere to the safety harness without risk of detachment, etc. ).

[0075] The dual-sensor multi-beacon digital architecture allows for detecting the direction and therefore following the progressive movement of the person towards areas of risk of falling from a height. This digital architecture reduces the number of false positives and false negatives, and therefore improves the accuracy of the system.

[0076] The IoT architecture combined with sensorized hooks allows for the immediate detection of fall risk situations that are difficult to detect with traditional (non-digital ) systems.

[0077] This IoT architecture, combined with high-precision pressure measurement sensors (e. g., MEMS) placed on the hook and on the safety belt, allows the fall factor to be measured and therefore the need to add new anchor points to the structure to be identified.

[0078] The digital architecture of the invention system:- eliminates the limits of the human factor of traditional safety methodologies, in terms of subjective perception of risk and control by safety personnel;- is added without replacing the safety system, traditional safety methods and tools;~ allows for the immediate detection of fall risk situations that are not managed correctly, assisting the complex ordinary activities of safety personnel;- allows for the provision of objective, selfdiagnostic, and predictive risk parameters such as the fall factor;~ is scalable in terms of algorithms and components to cover an ever wider range of risk contexts.

[0079] The present invention describes a scalable system, in the sense that the number of parameters describing the context can be expanded both in relation to the number of sensors applicable on the safety harness and on the type of PPE on which the sensors are applied.

[0080] In the foregoing, the preferred embodiments have been described and variants of the present invention have been suggested, but it is to be understood that those skilled in the art may make modifications and changes without thereby departing from the relative scope of protection, as defined by the attached claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An intelligent system (100) for the protection of operators (10) in a structure, comprising:one or more personal safety devices (111, 115) wearable by an operator (10), wherein each of the one or more personal safety devices (111, 115) comprises:- a primary control unit, PCU (110), the PCU (110) comprising one or more PCU sensors selected from the group consisting of kinetic sensors, induction sensors, pressure sensors and capacitive sensors, configured to measure PCU data relating to the status of said personal safety device, as well as ~ a PCU communication unit for the transmission of said PCU data;one or more virtual gates (130) generated by respective one or more beacons, the one or more virtual gates being configured and arranged to:- identify and circumscribe the spatial extension of respective entry or exit points in the structure; - select or deselect a predetermined safety mode based on an operator ' s (10) passage through at least one virtual gate (130) of the one or more virtual gates;~ transmit data and / or commands relating to said safety mode;a secondary control unit (120), SCU, physically separated from said one or more personal safety devices (111, 115) and configured to be worn by the operator (10), the SCU (120) comprising- a data reception module for receiving the PCU data (110) and / or the data and / or commands from said at least one virtual gate (130);~ an electronic SCU processing unit configured to process said PCU data (110) and said data and / or commands, determine the status of said one or more personal safety devices (111, 115), activate or deactivate said predetermined safety mode, and verify the correspondence between said status and said predetermined safety mode, based on said data and / or commands, wherein the predetermined safety mode is selected or deselected based on an operator (10) passing through at least two virtual gates (130) in sequence of the one or more virtual gates; ~ an alarm module configured to emit one or more alarms based on said correspondence.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a central electronic unit (160) is further comprised, configured for monitoring and remote control of the safety mode by receiving data from said SCU (120) and sending commands to said SCU (120).

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said central electronic unit (160) is configured for monitoring and remotely controlling the safety mode of a plurality of operators (10).

4. The system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein an electronic concentrator device (150) is further included, arranged in an area around the structure and configured to receive information from all the SCUs (120) present in said area, and transmit them to said centralelectronic unit (160).

5. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least two virtual gates (130) have respective interfering (132) coverage areas (131).

6. The system according to one of the claims from 1 to 5, wherein the SCU (120) includes an integrated speaker for audio alarms.

7. The system according to one of the claims from 1 to 6, wherein the SCU (120) includes a gyroscope for detecting the orientation of the operator (10).

8. The system according to one of the claims from 1 to 7, wherein the SCU (120) includes an emergency button configured to allow the operator (10) to manually activate an alarm.

9. The system according to one of the claims from 1 to 8, wherein the SCU (120) comprises a GPS module to determine the precise position of the operator (10).

10. The system according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the SCU (120) further comprises an accelerometer for detecting the movement and / or orientation of the operator (10).

11. The system according to one of the claims from 1 to 10, wherein the SCU (120) comprises one or more SCU sensors configured to detect one or more physical parameters, and wherein the SCU (120) is configured to verify the correspondence between said state, said safety mode and said one or more physical parameters, the alarm module being configured to emit one or more alarms based on said correspondence.

12. Individual protection method in vertical workstructures, comprising the execution of the following steps:a. providing an intelligent personal protection system (100) in work structures according to one of claims 1 to 12;b. selecting or deselecting, by at least one virtual gate (130), a predetermined safety mode based on an operator (10) passing through at least two virtual gates (130) in sequence;c. transmitting, by said at least one virtual gate (130), data and / or commands relating to said predetermined safety mode to the SCU (120) of said one operator (10);d. processing, by the SCU (120), said data and / or commands and activating or deactivating the predetermined safety mode based on said data and / or commands;e. transmitting, by each of said one or more PCUs (110), said PCU data to said SCU (120);f. determining, by said SCU (120), the status of said one or more personal safety devices (111, 115), based on said PCU data;g. verifying, by the SCU (120), the correspondence between said state and said predetermined safety mode; h. activating or deactivating, by the SCU (120), said alarm module.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the SCU (120) comprises one or more SCU sensors configured to detect one or more further physical parameters, and wherein in step F the SCU (120) verifies thecorrespondence between said state, said safety mode and said one or more further physical parameters.

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