Light Grid Synchronization via Unique Pulse Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light grids face synchronization issues when one beam axis is permanently blocked by an object, leading to reduced availability and potential failure in safety-critical applications, especially in personal protection scenarios where accurate object detection is crucial.
Innovation Solution
The light grid employs a transmitter control unit to activate transmitters cyclically, using beam axes with unique pulse groups or individual pulses for synchronization, allowing the system to automatically switch to the first free beam axis with a unique identifier, thereby increasing interference resistance and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single beam axis is used for synchronization, then the light grid can be synchronized effectively, but the system becomes vulnerable to failure when that beam axis is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization function is segmented across multiple beam axes rather than relying on a single beam axis. Each beam axis can independently provide synchronization signals, allowing the system to divide the synchronization task across multiple redundant paths to maintain reliability when one path is blocked.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of beam axis selection dynamically. When the primary synchronization beam axis is blocked, the system automatically switches to an alternative beam axis for synchronization, changing the operational parameter from a fixed single beam to a selectable multiple beams.
2Reliability
If multiple beam axes are used for synchronization redundancy, then system availability improves, but the complexity of synchronization control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light grid system performs self-diagnosis and automatic switching of synchronization beam axes without external intervention. The system monitors the availability of synchronization beams and automatically selects an appropriate beam axis, making the complexity management self-service rather than requiring complex external control.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization beam axis selection is made dynamic rather than static. The system can adaptively switch between different beam axes for synchronization based on real-time conditions, making the synchronization path flexible and responsive to blockages or interference.
3Reliability
If beam axes are activated cyclically one after another, then object detection coverage is improved, but synchronization timing becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic activation of beam axes in a cyclic sequence, where each beam axis is activated at regular intervals. This periodic action ensures comprehensive coverage while maintaining predictable timing patterns that facilitate synchronization through unique identifiers assigned to each periodic cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
Unique identifiers are preliminarily assigned to each beam axis before activation. This preliminary encoding of identification information allows the receiver to immediately recognize and synchronize with the correct transmitting beam axis without requiring complex real-time analysis, simplifying the timing synchronization process.
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 enhances the light grid's reliability and availability by ensuring synchronization can occur with any available beam axis, reducing the risk of system failure due to blocked beam axes and allowing for safe operation in safety-critical areas.
Implementation Method 1
The transmitter unit has an arrangement of transmitters which are arranged next to one another and emit transmitted light beams
Implementation Method 2
The transmitter and receiver are synchronized optically. For this purpose, the transmitter of the first beam axis emits transmitted light beams with a specific identifier
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a light grid (1) with a transmitter unit (3) having a number of emitting light beams (6) and a receiver unit (5) having a number of receivers (10) and electrically decoupled from the transmitter unit (3), wherein each transmitter (7) and receiver (10) form a beam axis, and the transmitters (7) and receivers (10) of the individual beam axes are cyclically activated one after the other to detect objects in a monitoring area. An activated transmitter (7) emits emitting light beams (6) in the form of pulses forming at least one pulse group, and the synchronization of all beam axes of the light grid (1) is achieved by means of a beam axis.The pulses emitted by the transmitter (7) of this beam axis differ from the pulses of the other beam axes with respect to at least one characteristic parameter in the form of the widths of the pulses or in the form of the pauses or intervals between the pulses.