Sensor management system and sensor management method

Abstract

Provided are a sensor management system and a sensor management method with which it is possible to easily and intuitively set a monitoring area. The sensor management system comprises a sensor 2 that can detect objects within a detectable range 6, a processing unit that acquires detection results from the sensor 2, and a mode switching unit that switches the control mode of the processing unit between a setting mode and an operation mode, wherein the processing unit has an area setting unit that sets a monitoring area within the detectable range 6 in the setting mode, and a signal output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the monitoring area when the sensor 2 detects a detection object in the monitoring area in the operation mode, and the area setting unit determines the position of the boundaries of the monitoring area on the basis of the position of a reference object 40 detected by the sensor 2 when the processing unit is in the setting mode.

Description

Sensor management system and sensor management method

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor management system and a sensor management method.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a sensor management system for a sensor capable of detecting an object within a detectable range. In this sensor management system, an area to be monitored (referred to as a "detection area" in Patent Document 1) is composed of a plurality of detection spots.

[0003] And in the sensor management system described in Patent Document 1, each detection spot is displayed on an information terminal such as a smartphone (referred to as a "presentation device" in Patent Document 1). The user can individually switch each detection spot between valid and invalid by operating the information terminal.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-163651

[0005] In the sensor management system described in Patent Document 1, after the user photographs the space (area) where the area to be monitored is set using an information terminal, the user needs to perform an operation for switching the validity of each detection spot while viewing the composite image displayed on the information terminal. That is, in the sensor management system described in Patent Document 1, the setting work of the area to be monitored is complicated, and relatively much labor is required for setting the area.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor management system and a sensor management method capable of intuitively and easily setting a monitoring area.

[0007] The sensor management system according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a sensor capable of detecting objects within a detectable range; a processing unit that acquires detection results from the sensor; and a mode switching unit that switches the control mode of the processing unit between a setting mode and an operation mode. The processing unit includes an area setting unit that sets a monitoring area within the detectable range in the setting mode, and a signal output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the monitoring area when the sensor detects an object within the monitoring area in the operation mode. The area setting unit determines the position of the boundary of the monitoring area based on the position of a reference object detected by the sensor when the processing unit is in the setting mode.

[0008] With this configuration, by placing a reference object within the sensor's detectable range, the position of the monitoring area boundary is determined based on the position of the reference object, and the monitoring area is set. This allows for intuitive and easy setting of the monitoring area.

[0009] Furthermore, in the present invention, the reference object is preferably a person.

[0010] If the reference object is a specialized jig or fixture, it is necessary to properly manage and transport that jig or fixture to the sensor installation site. This requires a relatively large amount of effort.

[0011] In contrast, with this configuration, the reference object is a person. Therefore, the required effort is easier to reduce compared to when the reference object is a dedicated jig or the like.

[0012] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable to include a guide unit that prompts the placement of the reference object by light or sound when the processing unit is in the setting mode.

[0013] With this configuration, when the processing unit is in setting mode, the user (the worker installing the sensor) can easily recognize where the reference object should be placed. This improves the usability of the sensor management system.

[0014] Furthermore, in the present invention, the signal output unit is configured to output signals relating to the opening and closing control of a movable part that opens and closes a passage area, and it is preferable that when the processing unit is in the operating mode and the sensor detects the object within the monitoring area, it outputs a signal corresponding to the content of the opening and closing control that corresponds to the monitoring area.

[0015] This configuration allows for intuitive configuration of the monitoring area related to the opening and closing control of movable parts. This enables the realization of a sensor management system that controls the opening and closing of movable parts according to the user's intentions.

[0016] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the area setting unit determines the position of the boundary of the monitoring area based on the position of the reference object, which is positioned at a location corresponding to the end of the movable part in the width direction.

[0017] With this configuration, the position of the boundary of the monitoring area can be determined according to the position of the end of the movable part. This makes it easier to set the monitoring area in an appropriate position for controlling the opening and closing of the movable part.

[0018] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the area setting unit determines the length of the monitoring area in the depth direction based on the position of the reference object arranged in the depth direction.

[0019] This configuration allows users to intuitively set the depth of the monitoring area. This enables the realization of a sensor management system that controls the opening and closing of movable parts according to the user's intentions.

[0020] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable to have a standard information acquisition unit that acquires standard information, which is information indicating standards for the movable part, and the area setting unit sets the monitoring area based on the standard information.

[0021] This configuration allows the monitoring area to be set to meet standards for movable parts. This improves the practicality of the sensor management system.

[0022] Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable to include an attribute information acquisition unit that acquires attribute information which is information indicating the attributes of the movable part, and the area setting unit determines the pattern of the monitoring area based on the attribute information.

[0023] This configuration makes it possible to appropriately determine the pattern of the monitoring area (for example, whether or not there is an area for door pockets) according to the attributes of the movable part (for example, whether or not the movable part is a sliding door). This enables the realization of a sensor management system that can set an appropriate monitoring area.

[0024] The sensor management method according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a placement step of placing a reference object within the detectable range of a sensor; a position detection step of detecting the position of the reference object using the sensor; and an area setting step of setting a monitoring area within the detectable range, wherein in the area setting step, the position of the boundary of the monitoring area is determined based on the position of the reference object detected in the position detection step.

[0025] In this configuration, the position of the monitoring area boundary is determined based on the position of the reference object placed in the placement step. This allows for intuitive and easy configuration of the monitoring area.

[0026] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the sensor management system. This is a side view showing the monitoring area, etc. This is a top view showing the monitoring area, etc. This is a diagram showing the sensor management method. This is a perspective view showing the reference objects, etc., placed in the first placement step. This is a perspective view showing the reference objects, etc., placed in the second placement step. This is a perspective view showing the reference objects, etc., placed in the third placement step. This is a top view showing the positions of the boundaries of each monitoring area. This is a top view showing the monitoring area, etc., in another embodiment (1).

[0027] Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0028] [Overall Configuration of Sensor Management System] Figure 1 shows the configuration of the sensor management system 1. The sensor management system 1 is equipped with a sensor 2.

[0029] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the sensor 2 is installed above the movable part 3. In this embodiment, the movable part 3 is a sliding automatic door consisting of two doors, and the sensor 2 is mounted on the door frame. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the movable part 3 may be a swing-type automatic door or a retractable electric shutter. The movable part 3 may or may not be included in the sensor management system 1.

[0030] The movable part 3 is controlled to open and close by a control signal output by the sensor management system 1. When the movable part 3 is controlled to open, each door of the movable part 3 moves in the direction of the black arrow in Figure 3. When the movable part 3 is controlled to close, each door of the movable part 3 moves in the opposite direction to the black arrow in Figure 3. In this way, the movable part 3 opens and closes the passage area 5. The passage area 5 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, an entrance to a building, or a road or tunnel.

[0031] Sensor 2 is capable of detecting objects within the detectable range 6. That is, the sensor management system 1 is equipped with a sensor 2 capable of detecting objects within the detectable range 6. Sensor 2 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a millimeter-wave radar or a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device. The detectable range 6 is the range in which sensor 2 can detect objects. The detected object may be a person, a car, an animal, etc.

[0032] [Switching Control Modes] As shown in Figure 1, the sensor management system 1 includes a control device 20. The control device 20 may be provided integrally with the sensor 2, or it may be located separately from the sensor 2.

[0033] The control device 20 includes a processing unit 30 and a mode switching unit 31. The mode switching unit 31 switches the control mode of the processing unit 30 between a setting mode and an operation mode. In other words, the sensor management system 1 includes a mode switching unit 31 that switches the control mode of the processing unit 30 between a setting mode and an operation mode.

[0034] Furthermore, the switching of the control mode by the mode switching unit 31 may be performed automatically when predetermined conditions are met, or it may be performed manually by the user (the worker installing the sensor 2) (for example, by operating a switch not shown). For example, the control mode of the processing unit 30 may be in the setting mode in the initial state (when the sensor 2 is installed), and may be automatically switched to the operation mode when the setting of the monitoring area 11 described later is completed. In addition, each element included in the control device 20 may be a physical device such as a microcomputer, or it may be a functional part in software.

[0035] [Setting Mode] As shown in Figure 1, the processing unit 30 has an area setting unit 7. When the processing unit 30 is in setting mode, the area setting unit 7 sets one or more monitoring areas 11 within the detectable range 6, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, one activation area 8, one first safety area 9, and two second safety areas 10 are set as monitoring areas 11. That is, in this embodiment, four monitoring areas 11 are set. Although not particularly limited, the activation area 8, the first safety area 9, and the second safety area 10 are all set as three-dimensional spaces. Also, although not particularly limited, the activation area 8, the first safety area 9, and the second safety area 10 in this embodiment are all rectangles in plan view.

[0036] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the activation area 8 is set in front of the fully closed movable part 3 (to the right in Figures 2 and 3). The first safety area 9 is set in front of the fully closed movable part 3 and in the vicinity of the fully closed movable part 3. The first safety area 9 is sandwiched between the fully closed movable part 3 and the activation area 8. Each second safety area 10 is set in the vicinity of the door pocket of each door of the movable part 3.

[0037] However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The first safety area 9 may be set in a state that overlaps with the door rail (not shown) of the movable part 3 in a plan view, or it may be set in a state that straddles (penetrates) the door rail (in other words, it may be set over the front and back of the movable part 3). In addition, each second safety area 10 may be set over the entire door pocket of the movable part 3 in a plan view (in other words, only the door pocket portion), or it may be set over the door pocket and its vicinity.

[0038] [Operation Mode] As shown in Figure 1, the processing unit 30 acquires the detection results from the sensor 2 (data indicating the position and vector of objects within the detectable range 6). In other words, the sensor management system 1 is equipped with a processing unit 30 that acquires the detection results from the sensor 2.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the processing unit 30 has a signal output unit 13. The signal output unit 13 is configured to output a signal corresponding to each monitoring area 11 when the sensor 2 detects an object within each monitoring area 11 when the processing unit 30 is in operation mode (in other words, when an object within the detectable range 6 detected by the sensor 2 is located in particular within each monitoring area 11).

[0040] More specifically, when the processing unit 30 is in operation mode, the processing unit 30 acquires information indicating the results of object detection by the sensor 2 in each monitoring area 11. Based on this information, the signal output unit 13 outputs a control signal to the actuator 15 (e.g., electric motor) that moves the movable part 3. This control signal is a signal related to the opening and closing control of the movable part 3. More specifically, when the processing unit 30 is in operation mode and the sensor 2 detects an object (e.g., a person) in any of the activation area 8, the first safety area 9, or the second safety area 10, the signal output unit 13 outputs a control signal to the actuator 15 that corresponds to the content of the opening and closing control corresponding to the activation area 8, the first safety area 9, or the second safety area 10 where the object was detected. The actuator 15 is driven according to this control signal.

[0041] For example, when the sensor 2 detects an object in the activation area 8 while the movable part 3 is in the fully closed state, the signal output unit 13 outputs a control signal indicating an "opening operation". The "opening operation" is an example of the opening / closing control of the movable part 3, and is an operation to open until the movable part 3 reaches the fully open state. Thereby, the movable part 3 performs the "opening operation".

[0042] Further, when the sensor 2 does not detect an object in either the activation area 8 or the first safety area 9 while the movable part 3 is in the fully open state, the signal output unit 13 outputs a control signal indicating a "closing operation". The "closing operation" is an example of the opening / closing control of the movable part 3, and is an operation to close until the movable part 3 reaches the fully closed state. Thereby, the movable part 3 performs the "closing operation".

[0043] Further, when the sensor 2 detects an object in the activation area 8 or the first safety area 9 while the movable part 3 is in the fully open state, the signal output unit 13 outputs a control signal indicating an "opening maintenance". The "opening maintenance" is an example of the opening / closing control of the movable part 3, and is a state in which the movable part 3 is maintained in the fully open state for a predetermined time. Thereby, the movable part 3 enters the state of "opening maintenance".

[0044] Further, when the sensor 2 detects an object in the activation area 8 or the first safety area 9 while the movable part 3 is performing the "closing operation", the signal output unit 13 outputs a control signal indicating an "opening operation". Thereby, the movable part 3 aborts the "closing operation" and performs the "opening operation".

[0045] Further, regardless of the opening / closing state of the movable part 3, when the sensor 2 detects an object in the second safety area 10, the signal output unit 13 outputs a control signal indicating an "opening / closing stop". The "opening / closing stop" is an example of the opening / closing control of the movable part 3, and is a state in which the operation of the movable part 3 has stopped. Thereby, the movable part 3 enters the state of "opening / closing stop".

[0046] For example, when an object enters the second safety area 10 while the movable part 3 is performing an "opening operation" or a "closing operation", the movable part 3 enters the state of "opening / closing stop". Thereby, the movable part 3 stops in a state between the fully open state and the fully closed state.

[0047] However, the present invention is not limited thereto. When the sensor 2 detects an object in the second safety area 10, the opening speed (the moving speed in the opening direction) of the movable part 3 may be configured to be lower than that in the normal state, or it may be normal.

[0048] Thus, the activation area 8, the first safety area 9, and the second safety area 10 are all monitoring areas 11 associated with the opening and closing control of the movable part 3. Also, as described above, the contents of the corresponding opening and closing controls in the activation area 8 and the first safety area 9 (or the second safety area 10) are different from each other (in other words, they do not completely match).

[0049] As described above, in the present embodiment, "opening operation" and "opening maintenance" correspond to the activation area 8, "opening operation" (excluding the opening operation from the fully closed state) and "opening maintenance" correspond to the first safety area 9, and "opening and closing stop" corresponds to the second safety area 10. That is, two types of opening and closing controls correspond to the activation area 8 and the first safety area 9 respectively, and one type of opening and closing control corresponds to the second safety area 10. The content of the opening and closing control corresponding to each monitoring area 11 may be only one type or a plurality of types.

[0050] Thus, the processing unit 30 has an area setting unit 7 that sets the monitoring area 11 within the detectable range 6 in the setting mode, and a signal output unit 13 that outputs a signal corresponding to the monitoring area 11 when the sensor 2 detects a detected object within the monitoring area 11 in the operation mode. Also, the signal output unit 13 is configured to output a signal related to the opening and closing control of the movable part 3 that opens and closes the passage area 5, and when the sensor 2 detects a detected object within the monitoring area 11 when the processing unit 30 is in the operation mode, it outputs a signal according to the content of the opening and closing control corresponding to the monitoring area 11.

[0051] [Sensor Management Method] The area setting unit 7 is configured to set each monitoring area 11 according to the sensor management method shown in Figure 4 when the processing unit 30 is in setting mode. Although not particularly limited, the processing unit 30 may be configured to automatically start setting each monitoring area 11 according to this sensor management method when it is switched to setting mode (or when the processing unit 30 is in setting mode when the control device 20 is started). This sensor management method will be described below.

[0052] In the sensor management method shown in Figure 4, the pattern determination step S01 is performed first. In this step, the area setting unit 7 determines the pattern of the monitoring area 11 to be set.

[0053] More specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the area setting unit 7 has a pattern storage unit 32. The pattern storage unit 32 stores multiple patterns. In the example shown in Figure 1, the pattern storage unit 32 stores three patterns: a first pattern P1, a second pattern P2, and a third pattern P3.

[0054] The first pattern P1 is a pattern of the monitoring area 11 that corresponds to the case where the movable part 3 is a sliding automatic door that opens to the left and right. The first pattern P1 has one activation area 8, one first safety area 9, and two second safety areas 10.

[0055] The second pattern P2 is a pattern of the monitoring area 11 that corresponds to the case where the movable part 3 is a sliding automatic door that opens to the left (downward direction in Figure 1). The second pattern P2 has one activation area 8, one first safety area 9, and one second safety area 10.

[0056] The third pattern P3 is a pattern of the monitoring area 11 that corresponds to the case where the movable part 3 is a sliding automatic door that opens to the right (upward direction in Figure 1). The third pattern P3 has one activation area 8, one first safety area 9, and one second safety area 10.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the control device 20 has an attribute information acquisition unit 33. The attribute information acquisition unit 33 acquires attribute information. Attribute information is information indicating the attributes of the movable part 3. In other words, the sensor management system 1 is equipped with an attribute information acquisition unit 33 that acquires attribute information, which is information indicating the attributes of the movable part 3.

[0058] Furthermore, the attribute information may include, for example, information indicating the number of doors of the movable part 3 (specific example of "attribute"), information indicating the direction in which the doors of the movable part 3 open (specific example of "attribute"), or information indicating whether the movable part 3 is a sliding type or a swing type (specific example of "attribute"). In addition, the attribute information may be manually input by the user by operating a switch or the like (not shown) provided on the control device 20 during the pattern determination step S01 (or before the pattern determination step S01 is executed), and acquired by the attribute information acquisition unit 33.

[0059] As shown in Figure 1, the attribute information acquisition unit 33 sends the acquired attribute information to the area setting unit 7. Based on the attribute information, the area setting unit 7 identifies a pattern corresponding to the attributes of the movable part 3 from among a plurality of patterns stored in the pattern storage unit 32. The area setting unit 7 determines the identified pattern as the pattern for the monitoring area 11 to be set. In other words, the area setting unit 7 determines the pattern for the monitoring area 11 based on the attribute information.

[0060] For example, as shown in Figure 3, if the movable part 3 is a sliding automatic door that opens to the left and right, the area setting unit 7 determines the pattern of the monitoring area 11 to be set to the first pattern P1.

[0061] As shown in Figure 4, after the pattern determination step S01, the first placement step S02 (corresponding to the "placement step" according to the present invention) is performed. In this step, the guide unit 34 (see Figure 1) of the control device 20 prompts the placement of the reference object 40 (see Figure 5), and the reference object 40 is placed by the user.

[0062] More specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the sensor 2 is provided with a first lamp 21 and a second lamp 22. The first lamp 21 is located to the left (downward in Figure 3) of the center of the sensor 2 in the left-right direction (up-down direction in Figure 3). The second lamp 22 is located to the right (upward in Figure 3) of the center of the sensor 2 in the left-right direction. In Figure 1, the first lamp 21 and the second lamp 22 are shown separately from the sensor 2, but the first lamp 21 and the second lamp 22 may be included in the sensor 2 or provided outside the sensor 2.

[0063] The guide unit 34 is configured to control the lighting and extinguishing of the first lamp 21 and the second lamp 22. In the first positioning step S02, the guide unit 34 lights only the first lamp 21 of the two lamps 22 (see Figure 5) to prompt the positioning of the reference object 40 within the detectable range 6 to a position corresponding to the left end of the movable part 3 (the lower end in Figure 3) (near the left end).

[0064] Accordingly, the user positions the reference object 40 at a location corresponding to the left end of the movable part 3, as shown in Figure 5. While not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the reference object 40 is a person. The reference object 40 may be the user themselves, or it may be a person other than the user.

[0065] As shown in Figure 4, after the first placement step S02, the first position detection step S03 (corresponding to the "position detection step" according to the present invention) is performed. In this step, the sensor 2 detects the position of the reference object 40 that was placed in the first placement step S02. The information indicating the detected position (detection result) is sent to the processing unit 30, as shown in Figure 1. The position of the reference object 40 detected at this time is referred to as the first detected position Q1 (see Figure 3).

[0066] As shown in Figure 4, after the first position detection step S03, the second placement step S04 (corresponding to the "placement step" according to the present invention) is performed. In this step, the guide unit 34 prompts the placement of the reference object 40, and the reference object 40 is placed by the user.

[0067] More specifically, in the second positioning step S04, the guide unit 34 illuminates only the second lamp 22 of the first lamp 21 and the second lamp 22 (see Figure 6), prompting the user to position the reference object 40 within the detectable range 6 at a position corresponding to the right end of the movable part 3 (the upper end in Figure 3) (near the right end).

[0068] Accordingly, the user positions the reference object 40 at a location corresponding to the right end of the movable part 3, as shown in Figure 6. The reference object 40 (person) positioned at this time may be the same as or different from the person positioned in the first positioning step S02.

[0069] As shown in Figure 4, after the second placement step S04, the second position detection step S05 (corresponding to the "position detection step" according to the present invention) is performed. In this step, the sensor 2 detects the position of the reference object 40 that was placed in the second placement step S04. The information indicating the detected position (detection result) is sent to the processing unit 30, as shown in Figure 1. The position of the reference object 40 detected at this time is referred to as the second detection position Q2 (see Figure 3).

[0070] As shown in Figure 4, after the second position detection step S05, the third placement step S06 (corresponding to the "placement step" according to the present invention) is performed. In this step, the guide unit 34 prompts the placement of the reference object 40, and the reference object 40 is placed by the user.

[0071] More specifically, in the third positioning step S06, the guide unit 34 illuminates both the first lamp 21 and the second lamp 22 (see Figure 7) to prompt the user to position the reference object 40 at any position in the depth direction (left-right direction in Figure 3) relative to the movable part 3 within the detectable range 6 (a position in front of the movable part 3 and at any distance from the movable part 3).

[0072] Accordingly, the user places the reference object 40 at the arbitrary position shown in Figure 7. The reference object 40 (person) placed at this time may be the same as or different from the person placed in the first placement step S02 or the second placement step S04.

[0073] As described above, the guidance unit 34 is configured to prompt the placement of the reference object 40 by the light of the first lamp 21 and the second lamp 22 when the processing unit 30 is in setting mode. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The guidance unit 34 may also be configured to prompt the placement of the reference object 40 by sound by controlling a buzzer or the like (not shown), or it may be configured to prompt the placement of the reference object 40 by sending a predetermined signal to various smart devices (smartphones, tablet terminals, etc.) by the light (e.g., images) or sound (e.g., message voice) of the smart device.

[0074] In other words, the sensor management system 1 includes a guide unit 34 that prompts the placement of the reference object 40 by light or sound when the processing unit 30 is in setting mode.

[0075] As shown in Figure 4, after the third placement step S06, the third position detection step S07 (corresponding to the "position detection step" according to the present invention) is performed. In this step, the sensor 2 detects the position of the reference object 40 that was placed in the third placement step S06. The information indicating the detected position (detection result) is sent to the processing unit 30, as shown in Figure 1. The position of the reference object 40 detected at this time is referred to as the third detection position Q3 (see Figure 3).

[0076] As described above, the sensor management method of this embodiment includes a first placement step S02, a second placement step S04, and a third placement step S06 in which a reference object 40 is placed within the detectable range 6 of the sensor 2, and a first position detection step S03, a second position detection step S05, and a third position detection step S07 in which the position of the reference object 40 is detected by the sensor 2.

[0077] As shown in Figure 4, after the third position detection step S07, the standard acquisition step S08 is performed. In this step, the standard information acquisition unit 35 (see Figure 1) of the control device 20 acquires standard information and sends it to the area setting unit 7. Standard information is information indicating the standards for the movable part 3. In other words, the sensor management system 1 is equipped with a standard information acquisition unit 35 that acquires standard information, which is information indicating the standards for the movable part 3.

[0078] Specific examples of "standards" include JIS standards, ANSI standards, EN standards, etc. "Standard information" can be any information that indicates standards related to the movable part 3. Preferably, the "standard information" defines the conditions that each monitoring area 11 must satisfy.

[0079] Furthermore, although not particularly limited, the standard information acquisition unit 35 may acquire standard information stored in a memory unit (not shown) provided in the control device 20. The standard information stored in the memory unit may be manually entered by the user. In addition, the memory unit may store standard information for various countries, and may be configured to select and acquire standard information corresponding to the location (country or region) where the sensor 2 is installed, based on location information indicating the location (country or region) where the sensor 2 is installed. The sensor management system 1 may include a location information acquisition unit that acquires such location information using, for example, GNSS.

[0080] As shown in Figure 4, after the standard acquisition step S08, the area setting step S09 is performed. In this step, the area setting unit 7 sets each monitoring area 11 within the detectable range 6 based on the pattern determined in the pattern determination step S01, the first detection position Q1, the second detection position Q2, the third detection position Q3, and the standard information.

[0081] At this time, the area setting unit 7 sets each monitoring area 11 so that the pattern of the monitoring area 11 becomes the pattern determined in the pattern determination step S01.

[0082] At this time, the area setting unit 7 determines the position of the boundary of each monitoring area 11 based on the first detection position Q1, the second detection position Q2, and the third detection position Q3, and also determines the size of each monitoring area 11 (specifically, the depth and width in a plan view) according to the standard information.

[0083] For example, in the example shown in Figure 8, each monitoring area 11 is set in the first pattern P1. In this example, the boundary of the activation area 8 in plan view is defined by the first side L1, the second side L2, the third side L3, and the fourth side L4. The boundary of the first safety area 9 in plan view is defined by the fifth side L5, the sixth side L6, the seventh side L7, and the eighth side L8. The boundaries of each second safety area 10 in plan view are defined by the ninth side L9, the tenth side L10, the eleventh side L11, and the twelfth side L12, respectively.

[0084] Note that the first side L1 and the sixth side L6 are actually set at the same position (in other words, as a single boundary line separating the activation area 8 and the first safety area 9), but in Figure 8 they are shown spaced apart for illustrative purposes. The same applies to the seventh side L7 and the twelfth side L12, and also to the eighth side L8 and the eleventh side L11.

[0085] In the example shown in Figure 8, the area setting unit 7 determines the positions of the fifth side L5, sixth side L6, seventh side L7, and eighth side L8 such that the first detection position Q1 and the second detection position Q2 are included within the first safety area 9, the fifth side L5 is in contact with the first detection position Q1 and the second detection position Q2, the seventh side L7 is in contact with the first detection position Q1, the eighth side L8 is in contact with the second detection position Q2, and the distance between the fifth side L5 and the sixth side L6 is the standard distance D1. The standard distance D1 is a distance determined by the area setting unit 7 based on standard information. The area setting unit 7 determines the standard distance D1 so as to satisfy the standards indicated by the standard information. That is, the area setting unit 7 sets the monitoring area 11 based on the standard information.

[0086] In this example, the area setting unit 7 determines the positions of the first side L1, second side L2, third side L3, and fourth side L4 such that the third detection position Q3 is included within the activation area 8, the first side L1 is located at the same position (or approximately the same position) as the sixth side L6, the second side L2 is in contact with the third detection position Q3, the position of the third side L3 in the width direction (vertical direction in Figure 8) of the movable part 3 coincides with the position of the seventh side L7, and the position of the fourth side L4 in the width direction of the movable part 3 coincides with the position of the eighth side L8. As a result, the length of the activation area 8 in the depth direction is determined to be the depth length D2. The depth length D2 is the distance between the first side L1 and the second side L2.

[0087] In this way, the area setting unit 7 determines the length of the monitoring area 11 (specifically the activation area 8) in the depth direction based on the position of the reference object 40 arranged in the depth direction (specifically the third detection position Q3).

[0088] In this example, the area setting unit 7 determines the positions of the 9th side L9, 10th side L10, 11th side L11, and 12th side L12 for each of the second safety areas 10 such that the 12th side L12 (or 11th side L11) is located at the same position (or approximately the same position) as the 7th side L7 (or 8th side L8), the distance between the 9th side L9 and the 10th side L10 becomes the standard distance D1, the distance between the 11th side L11 and the 12th side L12 becomes half the distance between the 7th side L7 and the 8th side L8 (in other words, the width of one door that makes up the movable part 3), and the position of the 9th side L9 in the depth direction (left-right direction in Figure 8) coincides with the 5th side L5.

[0089] Thus, when the processing unit 30 is in setting mode, the area setting unit 7 determines the position of the boundary of the monitoring area 11 based on the position of the reference object 40 detected by the sensor 2. Furthermore, the sensor management method of this embodiment includes an area setting step S09 for setting the monitoring area 11 within the detectable range 6. In the area setting step S09, the position of the boundary of the monitoring area 11 is determined based on the position of the reference object 40 detected in the first position detection step S03, the second position detection step S05, and the third position detection step S07.

[0090] In particular, the area setting unit 7 determines the position of the boundary of the monitoring area 11 based on the position of the reference object 40 (specifically, the first detection position Q1 and the second detection position Q2) which is positioned at a location corresponding to the end of the movable part 3 in the width direction.

[0091] As shown in Figure 4, this sensor management method ends after the area setting step S09 is performed.

[0092] According to the configuration described above, if a reference object 40 is placed within the detectable range 6 of the sensor 2, the position of the boundary of the monitoring area 11 is determined based on the position of the reference object 40, and the monitoring area 11 is set. This makes it possible to set the monitoring area 11 intuitively and easily.

[0093] [Other Embodiments] (1) The sensor management system 1 or sensor management method may be configured to detect a fourth detection position Q4 and a fifth detection position Q5 in addition to the first detection position Q1, second detection position Q2, and third detection position Q3, as shown in Figure 9, and to determine the position of the boundary of each monitoring area 11 based on these five positions.

[0094] The fourth detection position Q4 is the position of the reference object 40 located near the left end of the door pocket on the left side (lower side in Figure 9). The fifth detection position Q5 is the position of the reference object 40 located near the right end of the door pocket on the right side (upper side in Figure 9).

[0095] In this case, as shown in Figure 9, the area setting unit 7 determines the position of the 11th side L11 such that the 4th detection position Q4 is included in the left-side second safety area 10 and the 11th side L11 of the second safety area 10 is in contact with the 4th detection position Q4. The area setting unit 7 also determines the position of the 12th side L12 such that the 5th detection position Q5 is included in the right-side second safety area 10 and the 12th side L12 of the second safety area 10 is in contact with the 5th detection position Q5.

[0096] (2) By using multiple reference objects 40, two or all of the first placement step S02, the second placement step S04, and the third placement step S06 may be performed simultaneously. Similarly, two or all of the first position detection step S03, the second position detection step S05, and the third position detection step S07 may be performed simultaneously.

[0097] (3) The number of reference object 40 locations detected to determine the boundary of the monitoring area 11 may be one or any number of two or more.

[0098] (4) The reference object 40 may be a dedicated jig or the like.

[0099] (5) The door control unit that controls the actuator 15 may be provided separately from the signal output unit 13. In this case, the signal output unit 13 may be configured to output a signal corresponding to the monitoring area 11 to the door control unit when the sensor 2 detects an object within the monitoring area 11 in the operating mode. The door control unit may be configured to control the actuator 15 according to the signal.

[0100] (6) In the sensor management method shown in Figure 4, some steps may be omitted, new steps may be added, or the order of the steps may be changed. For example, the standard acquisition step S08 may be executed after the pattern determination step S01 (in other words, before the first placement step S02). In this case, for example, in the standard acquisition step S08, an area that satisfies the standard may be generated as a template, and each monitoring area 11 may be set by correcting the generated area in each subsequent step.

[0101] Furthermore, the configurations disclosed in the above-described embodiments (including other embodiments, the same applies hereinafter) can be applied in combination with configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no inconsistencies arise. In addition, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative, and the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention.

[0102] This invention can be used not only for sensors for automatic doors, but also for various other sensors such as sensors mounted on vehicles and security sensors.

[0103] 1: Sensor management system 2: Sensor 3: Movable part 5: Passage area 6: Detectable range 7: Area setting unit 11: Monitoring area 13: Signal output unit 30: Processing unit 31: Mode switching unit 33: Attribute information acquisition unit 34: Guidance unit 35: Standard information acquisition unit 40: Reference object S02: First placement step (placement step) S03: First position detection step (position detection step) S04: Second placement step (placement step) S05: Second position detection step (position detection step) S06: Third placement step (placement step) S07: Third position detection step (position detection step) S09: Area setting step

Claims

1. A sensor management system comprising: a sensor capable of detecting objects within a detectable range; a processing unit that acquires detection results from the sensor; and a mode switching unit that switches the control mode of the processing unit between a setting mode and an operation mode, wherein the processing unit includes an area setting unit that sets a monitoring area within the detectable range in the setting mode, and a signal output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to the monitoring area when the sensor detects an object within the monitoring area in the operation mode, wherein the area setting unit determines the position of the boundary of the monitoring area based on the position of a reference object detected by the sensor when the processing unit is in the setting mode.

2. The sensor management system according to claim 1, wherein the reference object is a person.

3. The sensor management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a guide unit that prompts the placement of the reference object by light or sound when the processing unit is in the setting mode.

4. The sensor management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the signal output unit is configured to output a signal relating to the opening and closing control of a movable part that opens and closes a passage area, and when the processing unit is in the operating mode and the sensor detects the object within the monitoring area, it outputs a signal corresponding to the content of the opening and closing control corresponding to the monitoring area.

5. The sensor management system according to claim 4, wherein the area setting unit determines the position of the boundary of the monitoring area based on the position of the reference object positioned at a location corresponding to the end of the movable part in the width direction.

6. The sensor management system according to claim 4, wherein the area setting unit determines the length of the monitoring area in the depth direction based on the position of the reference object arranged in the depth direction.

7. The sensor management system according to claim 4, comprising a standard information acquisition unit that acquires standard information which is information indicating standards for the movable part, wherein the area setting unit sets the monitoring area based on the standard information.

8. The sensor management system according to claim 4, comprising an attribute information acquisition unit that acquires attribute information which is information indicating the attributes of the movable part, wherein the area setting unit determines the pattern of the monitoring area based on the attribute information.

9. A sensor management method comprising: a placement step of placing a reference object within the detectable range of a sensor; a position detection step of detecting the position of the reference object using the sensor; and an area setting step of setting a monitoring area within the detectable range, wherein in the area setting step, the position of the boundary of the monitoring area is determined based on the position of the reference object detected in the position detection step.

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