Job Site Collision Avoidance via Real-Time Entity Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing job site collision avoidance methods, such as physical barriers and proximity alarms, are limited in effectiveness due to reliance on worker situational awareness and lack of flexibility in responding to varying situational factors like speed, location, and entity types, leading to inefficiencies in preventing collisions between vehicles and other entities.
Innovation Solution
A system that receives and evaluates information about entities on a job site to detect potential collision triggers, issuing alert messages and implementing collision avoidance actions independently of the entities' locations, using a computer system with data transceivers, real-time servers, and collision avoidance modules to provide real-time tracking and alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical barriers and markings are used to protect regions or entities, then worker awareness is improved, but the effectiveness is limited when workers are unaware or cannot see the markings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical mechanical barriers and visual markings with an electronic information processing system. Sensors detect entities and their movements, a processor evaluates collision risk by comparing real-time data against stored information, and communicators provide alerts. This substitution eliminates dependency on worker situational awareness while maintaining reliable collision avoidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary information processing system between physical entities and workers. The system includes sensors that detect entity characteristics and positions, a processor that evaluates collision risk by comparing real-time data with stored information, and communicators that transmit alerts. This intermediary automatically assesses situational factors and provides collision warnings independent of worker awareness.
2Reliability
If proximity alarms are used for collision avoidance, then warning capability is improved, but the precision and flexibility are limited due to imprecise sensing and inability to react to various situational factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces imprecise mechanical proximity sensing with an electronic information processing system. Sensors capture detailed entity characteristics including position, speed, and type. The processor precisely evaluates collision risk by comparing real-time sensor data against stored information about protected entities and safe zones, enabling accurate assessment beyond simple proximity detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the collision avoidance system dynamic by continuously evaluating multiple situational factors in real-time. The processor assesses entity positions, speeds, directions, and types, along with environmental conditions, and adjusts collision risk evaluation accordingly. This dynamic assessment allows flexible response to varying situations rather than fixed proximity thresholds.
3Ease of operation
If proximity alarms are used, then basic warning function is provided, but flexibility in responding to situational factors like speed, location, entity type, and three-dimensional position is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal collision avoidance system that handles multiple entity types (vehicles, pedestrians, equipment), various situational factors (position, speed, direction, environment), and different protected entities (workers, structures, equipment). The information processing system evaluates all these factors through a unified approach, providing comprehensive collision avoidance rather than specialized single-function alarms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic evaluation of multiple situational factors including entity position, speed, direction, type, and environmental conditions. The processor continuously assesses collision risk by comparing real-time sensor data against stored information, adjusting warnings based on the specific combination of factors present. This enables flexible response to diverse situations while maintaining operational simplicity through automated evaluation.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for avoiding a collision on a job site, information is received regarding a plurality of selected entities on the job site. The information is received at a location independent from the entities. The information is evaluated to determine whether a trigger has occurred. The trigger is associated with a potential collision situation involving an entity of the entities. A collision alert message is issued for the entity if the trigger has occurred.