Machine Safeguarding with Plausibilized 3D Object Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety systems for machine safeguarding, such as those using 3D cameras and laser scanners, lack the capability for complex safety functions like object tracking and position determination due to insufficient processing power in certified safety controllers, despite generating high-quality 3D data.
Innovation Solution
A safety system that integrates a first safe sensor for protected field monitoring and a second unsafe evaluation unit for complex object tracking, using plausibilization to ensure compliance with safety standards by checking object positions against predefined patterns of protected fields, allowing for redundant and diverse sensor configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a certified safety controller is used to ensure compliance with safety standards, then system reliability is improved, but processing power is insufficient for complex safety functions like object tracking and position determination
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides processing tasks between a safety controller (handling protected field monitoring and safety-critical functions) and an unsafe evaluation unit (handling complex object tracking and position determination). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system reliability through the safety controller's certification.
Solution Approach 2:
An unsafe evaluation unit acts as an intermediary between the sensor data and the safety controller. This intermediary performs complex evaluations that would overwhelm the safety controller, then provides simplified results to the safety controller for final safety decisions, thereby protecting the safety controller from excessive processing loads.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex safety functions like object tracking and position determination are implemented, then safety functionality is improved, but compliance with safety standards becomes more difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments safety functions into protected field monitoring (handled by the certified safety controller) and complex object evaluation (handled by the unsafe evaluation unit). This segmentation maintains compliance with safety standards for critical functions while enabling complex functionality through the unsafe unit's algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The unsafe evaluation unit performs more complex evaluations than strictly required for basic safety (excessive action), including detailed object tracking and position determination. These partial results are then used by the safety controller to make final safety decisions, enabling enhanced functionality without compromising standard compliance.
3Device complexity
If only binary protected field infringement information is provided, then system complexity is reduced, but valuable position information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The unsafe evaluation unit serves multiple functions: it performs complex object tracking, determines precise positions, and generates simplified infringement information for the safety controller. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain low complexity at the safety-critical interface while capturing rich position information through the unsafe unit's processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the sensor data processing pipeline: the unsafe evaluation unit independently processes sensor data to extract position information, while the safety controller simultaneously processes the same data for protected field monitoring. This copying approach preserves position information without adding complexity to the safety-critical path.
4Reliability
If redundant and diverse sensor configurations are implemented, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple sensor inputs and evaluation results into a unified processing framework. The unsafe evaluation unit consolidates data from diverse sensors and applies consistent algorithms, while the safety controller integrates results from protected field monitoring and object evaluation. This merging reduces complexity compared to maintaining separate redundant systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The unsafe evaluation unit is designed to handle diverse sensor configurations and multiple evaluation tasks (object tracking, position determination, infringement detection) through a single multi-functional component. This universality allows the system to accommodate redundant and diverse sensors without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
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
Enables reliable and complex safety functions like object tracking and hazard evaluation, ensuring compliance with safety standards by leveraging existing safe components and reducing the need for manual annotation, thereby enhancing system reliability and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
A 3D camera measures a distance and thereby acquires depth information. There are 3D cameras in different technologies, including time of flight processes
Implementation Method 2
A scene is illuminated by amplitude-modulated light in a time of flight (TOF) camera still to be looked at in somewhat more detail. The light returning from the scene is received
Data Source
AI summary
A safety system for safeguarding a machine is provided that has at least one safe sensor and one unsafe evaluation unit, wherein the safe sensor has a protected field evaluation, a safe interface, and an unsafe interface to output sensor data to the unsafe evaluation unit; and wherein the unsafe evaluation unit determines object positions of objects located in the detection by an unsafe position evaluation. In this respect, the object positions are plausibilized based on the monitoring of the at least one protected field.