3D Safety Sensor Self-Positioning for Adaptive Protective Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current safety sensors in dynamic environments, such as industrial vehicles, face challenges in reliably determining their own position and adapting protective fields due to limitations in existing 3D sensors and the need for additional hardware and complex interfaces, especially in complex and changing scenarios with identical or similar machine configurations.
Innovation Solution
An optoelectronic safety sensor that generates three-dimensional image data using a light receiver and control unit, allowing for self-position determination and adaptive protective field adjustments without requiring extensive external interfaces, utilizing two-dimensional and three-dimensional features, including artificial markers for enhanced reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional hardware and safe interfaces are added to enable protective field switching, then the adaptability of protective fields is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety sensor integrates multiple functions including position determination, protective field monitoring, and adaptive protective field switching within a single device. The control unit processes both safety-related protective field data and position determination data, eliminating the need for separate external interfaces and hardware components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the protective field monitoring function and the position determination function into one integrated safety sensor system. The control unit evaluates both the protective field status and the determined position to jointly control the protective field configuration, merging what were previously separate systems into a unified device.
2Device complexity
If contour detection is limited to a single plane, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability of position determination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional single-plane contour detection to three-dimensional multi-plane contour detection. By capturing contour data across multiple planes and combining them into a three-dimensional contour model, the system achieves unambiguous position determination even in environments with identical or similar machines, while maintaining practical device complexity through efficient processing methods.
3Measurement precision
If 3D sensors are used for capturing three-dimensional image data, then the measurement precision of position determination is improved, but the reliability for safety-critical applications deteriorates due to lack of security certification
Solution Approach 1:
The safety sensor performs self-position determination using its own three-dimensional contour detection capabilities without requiring external position information or additional position sensors. The control unit processes the captured three-dimensional image data to determine the safety sensor's own position, enabling the system to serve its own positioning needs while maintaining safety-critical reliability through certified components and processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables robust and reliable position detection and adaptive protective field management, reducing hardware requirements and improving safety in dynamic environments by leveraging three-dimensional image data and artificial markers for unambiguous position identification.
Implementation Method 1
A light receiver in the safety sensor generates detection data from a monitored area
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
An optoelectronic safety sensor (10) is described, comprising a light receiver (24) for the reliable acquisition of data from a monitored area (18) and a control and evaluation unit (26) designed to reliably determine its own position (34a-c) from the acquired data in order to trigger a position-specific safety-relevant function. The safety sensor (10) is a 3D safety sensor whose acquired data consists of three-dimensional image data, and the control and evaluation unit (26) is designed to determine its own position based on three-dimensional features.