Optical Worker Location System Using Retroreflective Triangulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for locating workers and machinery in industrial or hazardous environments are often unreliable and provide limited coverage, posing risks to worker safety.
Innovation Solution
A location system utilizing light detectors mounted at known locations to detect light from workers and machinery, combined with a processing system for determining locations through triangulation, and optionally using wireless signal transmissions for enhanced accuracy and authorization tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If light detectors are used to locate workers, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical tracking systems with an optical detection system using light detectors and triangulation. Workers wear reflective elements that passively reflect light, eliminating the need for active transmitters or complex mechanical sensors on the workers themselves. The location is determined by detecting reflected light patterns from multiple detector positions, achieving high precision through optical rather than mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses reflective elements that create optical copies or reflections of light sources. Instead of requiring workers to carry active electronic devices, the reflective elements passively copy the light pattern from illuminating sources, allowing detectors to triangulate position based on these reflected light patterns. This simplifies the worker-side device while maintaining measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If triangulation of light is used to determine locations, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of information increases due to ambient light interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs modulated light sources that emit light in periodic pulses or at specific frequencies. The light detectors are synchronized to detect only during these periodic emission windows, filtering out continuous ambient light. This periodic modulation allows the system to distinguish reflected signal light from background noise, maintaining high measurement precision even in bright environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses specific wavelength or color modulation of the illuminating light sources. By using particular light frequencies and detecting only those frequencies, the system can filter out ambient light of different wavelengths. The reflective elements are designed to reflect specific light colors back to detectors, enabling selective detection that improves signal-to-noise ratio while maintaining location accuracy.
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
The system provides a robust and reliable method for locating workers and machinery, enabling real-time monitoring and automatic control of machinery to reduce safety risks, while also distinguishing authorized from unauthorized personnel and equipment.
Implementation Method 1
the light from the workers is light reflected from the workers
Implementation Method 2
the system further comprises illuminating light sources adjacent to respective light detectors, the light reflected from the workers being light from the illuminating light source
Implementation Method 3
the light detectors are phase-locked to the illuminating light source
Implementation Method 4
the at least one reflective element comprises a retroreflector
Data Source
AI summary
A location system for locating workers including a plurality of light detectors mounted at known locations and configured to detect light from one or more workers, and a processing system configured to determine locations of the workers using the light detected by the light detectors. There is also disclosed a wearable device for locating a worker including a wireless transceiver, and a wearable device light source and/or one or more reflective elements. There is also disclosed a method for locating workers including detecting light from one or more workers using a plurality of light detectors mounted at known locations, and determining locations of the workers using the light detected by the light detectors.