Hazard Zone Surface Visibility Checks in 3D Sensor Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for configuring hazard zones for 3D monitoring lack support for ensuring safety and reliability, as they do not automatically check if the configured zones are visible to sensors, leading to potential masking or shadow issues that can compromise safety.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for configuring hazard zones that ensure outer surfaces are visible to 3D sensors, using a data record to describe the zone and employing a 3D sensor or higher system for monitoring, with automatic checks for visibility and alternative configurations to prevent masking or shadows, allowing for flexible and safe hazard zone design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hazard zones are configured without automatic visibility checks, then configuration flexibility is maintained, but safety reliability deteriorates due to potential masking or shadow issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary visibility checks during the configuration phase before the hazard zone is deployed. The control and evaluation unit automatically verifies whether outer surfaces of the configured hazard zone are visible to the 3D sensor, preventing masking or shadow issues from compromising safety later during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides automatic feedback to the configuring person about the visibility status of hazard zone outer surfaces. The control and evaluation unit evaluates whether the configured zone can be properly monitored and communicates this information back, allowing the configurator to adjust the configuration to ensure safety requirements are met.
2Reliability
If multiple 3D sensors are used to eliminate masking issues, then monitoring reliability improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding multiple sensors, the system performs preliminary checks during configuration to ensure the single 3D sensor has adequate visibility of all outer surfaces of the hazard zone. This prevents masking issues through proper configuration rather than through redundant hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from modifying hardware (adding sensors) to modifying configuration parameters (hazard zone geometry and position) to achieve optimal visibility with the existing single sensor, thereby maintaining reliability without increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of configuring at least one hazard zone to be monitored by at least one three-dimensional (3D) sensor includes fixing outer surfaces, where the at least one hazard zone is a volume defined by the outer surfaces, and is a zone in which a machine to be secured is located. Additionally, a check is made during the configuration or after the configuration whether the outer surfaces are visible to the at least one 3D sensor.