Optical Worker Location Sensing for Reliable Industrial Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for locating workers and machinery in industrial or hazardous environments are unreliable and provide limited coverage, posing risks to worker safety.
Innovation Solution
A location system using light detectors and a processing system for triangulation, combined with wearable devices and machinery-mounted reflective elements, to accurately determine worker and machinery positions, and control machinery activity based on these locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If light detectors and triangulation are used to locate workers, then location accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces wearable devices with light sources as intermediaries between workers and the detection system. These devices actively emit light that can be detected by multiple light detectors, enabling triangulation to accurately determine worker positions without requiring complex direct detection methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or manual location tracking methods with an optical system using light detectors and triangulation. This substitution uses electromagnetic radiation (light) instead of mechanical sensors or manual reporting, achieving higher precision while the system manages complexity through standardized optical components.
2Reliability
If wearable devices with light sources are used, then detection reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable light sources emit light periodically or in pulses rather than continuously. This periodic emission provides sufficient light signals for detection and triangulation while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous illumination, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy use.
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
Enhances worker safety by providing robust and reliable location tracking, enabling automatic machinery control to prevent accidents and ensuring only authorized personnel are in designated areas.
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.