Cableway Person Detection Using Sensor Mats at Station Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable car systems face challenges in ensuring passenger safety, particularly in winter sports environments, due to unreliable human monitoring and potential injuries from falls during boarding and disembarking, which are exacerbated by weather conditions and complex sensor technologies like radar detection.
Innovation Solution
Implementing pressure- or touch-sensitive sensor mats in defined detection areas within cable car stations to detect passengers, integrated with an evaluation unit and control system that can automatically stop or slow down the cable cars upon detection, allowing for unmanned operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radar detection or complex sensor technology is used to detect persons, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex radar detection systems with simple, inexpensive pressure-sensitive or touch-sensitive mats. These sensor mats are cost-effective, easy to install, and provide reliable detection of persons in the detection area without requiring sophisticated electronics or complex signal processing systems.
2Ease of operation
If manual monitoring by cable car staff is used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but safety monitoring reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables autonomous operation by having the sensor mats automatically detect persons and trigger the control unit to stop or slow down cable car vehicles. This eliminates the need for manual monitoring by staff while maintaining high safety reliability, as the system self-regulates based on sensor input without requiring human intervention.
3Productivity
If automatic sensor-based operation is implemented, then productivity and autonomy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical monitoring operations with an automated electronic system consisting of simple sensor mats connected to a control unit. The sensor mats detect persons through pressure or touch, and the control unit automatically responds by stopping or slowing vehicles, providing autonomous operation with minimal complexity.
4Ease of operation
If safety bars are manually operated, then ease of operation is maintained, but response time to emergencies deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor mats provide immediate feedback when a person is detected in the detection area, automatically triggering the control unit to stop or slow down cable car vehicles. This closed-loop feedback system eliminates the time delay associated with manual detection and response, providing instantaneous emergency response while maintaining operational simplicity.
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
Enhances passenger safety by reliably detecting falls and unauthorized entries, enabling autonomous operation and reducing the risk of injuries, even in challenging weather conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor unit (10) comprising at least one pressure- or touch-sensitive sensor mat (10b)
Data Source
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AI summary
In order to increase the safety of persons (P) in a cable car (1) as simply and cost-effectively as possible, a detection device for detecting a person (P) is provided in the cable car (1), wherein at least one detection area (D1, D2) is defined in at least one of the cable car stations (2a, 2b), wherein the detection device has at least one sensor unit (10) which is arranged in the detection area (D1, D2) and wherein the at least one sensor unit (10) is configured to generate a sensor signal (X) or to interrupt a sensor signal (X) when a person (P) comes into contact with the sensor unit (10).