3D Sensor Distance Lookup for Fast Safety Zone Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 3D sensors used in safety engineering for monitoring industrial environments face challenges in efficiently calculating and responding to the shortest distances between objects and machines, leading to unnecessary safety overheads and restrictions in availability due to high processing demands and simplified geometrical modeling that may underestimate actual distances.
Innovation Solution
A 3D sensor system that precalculates and stores distances in a look-up table, allowing for efficient retrieval and use of shortest distances during operation, independent of the specific geometry of the reference volume, enabling flexible and accurate distance determination with moderate hardware resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If exact distance calculation at time of flight is performed with high resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but processing power and response time deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precalculates distances from all possible object positions to the reference volume before actual monitoring operation. These precalculated distance values are stored in a lookup table or memory structure. During runtime, the system only needs to retrieve the appropriate precalculated distance based on detected object position, avoiding complex real-time calculations while maintaining high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring space is divided into discrete positions or grid cells, with each position having its precalculated distance to the reference volume. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex distance calculations by breaking them into manageable discrete cases that can be stored and retrieved efficiently
2Productivity
If simplified geometrical models are used for objects and machines, then processing effort is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to underestimation of distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs exact distance calculations in advance for all discrete positions in the monitoring space, regardless of the complexity of the reference volume geometry. These exact results are stored and retrieved during operation, eliminating the need to use simplified geometrical models that would underestimate distances
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of working with complex geometrical models during runtime, the system creates a simplified representation through the lookup table that contains exact distance values. The lookup table acts as a copy of the essential distance information without the computational complexity of the original geometric problem
3Reliability
If protected fields are configured for worst case scenarios, then safety is ensured, but availability deteriorates due to unnecessary safety overheads and restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic configuration of protected fields and safety zones based on actual operational requirements rather than static worst-case scenarios. The system can adaptively adjust monitoring parameters, distance thresholds, and safety boundaries according to real-time conditions, allowing optimal balance between safety and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows modification of key parameters such as safety distance thresholds, protected field boundaries, and monitoring sensitivity based on actual operational needs. This enables the safety system to operate with appropriate parameters for each situation rather than always using conservative worst-case values, improving availability while maintaining safety
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
This approach reduces processing effort at runtime, allows for higher resolutions and faster response times, and enables flexible configuration of safety zones without overestimating distances, ensuring timely and accurate safety responses.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light receiver for generating a received signal from received light from the monitored zone
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D sensor for monitoring a monitored zone is provided, wherein the 3D sensor has at least one light receiver for generating a received signal from received light from the monitored zone and has a control and evaluation unit that is configured to detect objects in the monitored zone by evaluating the received signal and to determine the shortest distance of the detected objects from at least one reference volume, and to read at least one distance calculated in advance from the reference value from a memory for the determination of the respective shortest distance of a detected object.