Industrial Truck Movement Detection Using Static Signal Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial trucks lack accurate methods to determine their own movement, especially when being retrofitted with assistance systems that require vehicle movement input, as they do not have wheel speed sensors like motor vehicles, leading to imprecise detection of static and dynamic objects during reversing operations.
Innovation Solution
The method uses distance sensors to differentiate between static and dynamic sensor signals, determining the truck's movement by analyzing the time profile of static sensor signals from static objects, allowing the system to detect dynamic objects and prevent collisions without additional sensors, and can be used with third-party devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If distance sensors are switched off as soon as the industrial truck starts to move, then unnecessary warnings and interventions are avoided, but the ability to detect dynamic objects during reversing operations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a static on/off sensor state to a dynamic sensor state that adapts to the truck's movement state. The distance sensors remain active during reversing operations even when the truck is in motion, allowing the system to distinguish between static and dynamic objects through signal analysis rather than simply turning sensors on or off based on motion detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the distance sensors themselves to determine the truck's movement state and adjust sensor activation accordingly. By analyzing changes in distance sensor signals, the system feedbacks the movement state back to the control logic, which then decides whether to activate assistance functions based on the detected motion state rather than using fixed thresholds.
2Measurement precision
If wheel speed sensors are installed to accurately determine truck movement, then precise detection of static and dynamic objects is achieved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the distance sensors serve dual functions: both monitoring the surrounding environment for objects and simultaneously determining the truck's own movement state. This eliminates the need for separate wheel speed sensors or dedicated movement detection systems, as the same sensors used for object detection also provide the feedback needed to understand vehicle motion characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-service by having the distance sensors analyze their own signal characteristics to determine the truck's movement state. The sensors essentially serve themselves by extracting movement information from their distance measurement signals, eliminating the need for external sensors or complex processing systems to determine motion state.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the assistance system is retrofitted to existing industrial trucks, then the system can be installed on third-party devices, but there is no interface to read movement signals from existing sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by extracting the movement determination function from any potential external sensor interfaces and embedding it directly within the distance sensor signal processing. Instead of requiring interfaces to read from existing wheel speed sensors or other movement detection systems, the system extracts movement information directly from the distance sensor signals themselves, simplifying retrofit implementations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the distance sensor signals as an intermediary that bridges the gap between object detection and movement detection functions. Rather than requiring direct interfaces to multiple sensor types, the distance sensor signals serve as an intermediary data source that contains both object information and movement state information, simplifying the integration architecture for retrofitted systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining the self-movement of a forklift truck (1) which has at least two distance sensors (20a, 20b) on the forklift truck (1) with which a monitoring zone (21) is monitored for objects (OS, OD). The distance sensors (20a, 20b) separate static sensor signals generated by static objects (OS) in the monitoring zone (21) from dynamic sensor signals generated by dynamic objects (OD) in the monitoring zone (21), and the self-movement of the distance sensor (20a; 20b) is determined from the static sensor signals.