Radio Distance Monitoring with Reference Signal Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radio-based distance determination systems in shared work areas, particularly for machines and people, are prone to malfunctions and interference, leading to inaccurate distance measurements that can pose safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that includes generating a reference signal with security data, comparing it with predefined expectation data, and using a monitoring unit to assess the functionality of the transmitter/receiver units, ensuring accurate distance measurements by detecting and correcting errors or malfunctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If radio communication is used for distance determination in shared work areas, then productivity and automation are improved, but reliability deteriorates due to malfunctions and interference leading to inaccurate distance measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary security verification by comparing security data with expectation data before using distance measurements for safety decisions. This preliminary check prevents malfunctioning units from providing inaccurate distance information, thereby resolving the contradiction between automation and measurement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where distance determination results are continuously monitored and verified. When security data comparison fails or distance values fall outside expected ranges, the system provides feedback to disable the malfunctioning unit, ensuring that only reliable measurements are used for productivity-critical decisions.
2Reliability
If security data verification is implemented in the distance determination system, then reliability is improved by detecting malfunctions, but device complexity increases due to additional comparison operations
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation unit performs multiple functions: it processes distance measurements, verifies security data, compares expectation data, and disables malfunctioning units. By making the evaluation unit multi-functional, the system improves reliability without adding separate dedicated verification hardware, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The security data verification functionality is merged with the existing distance determination processing in the evaluation unit. Instead of adding a separate verification system, the patent combines security checking and distance evaluation into a single integrated process, improving reliability while maintaining simplicity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the system continuously monitors and verifies distance measurements, then safety is improved, but loss of time increases due to additional verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
Security data is verified preliminarily and cached for future comparisons. The system performs expectation data comparison in advance and stores results, so that during critical distance determination moments, the verification can be performed quickly using pre-computed reference values, thus improving safety without significant time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs verification selectively rather than continuously - it compares security data with expectation data only when necessary to confirm unit functionality. This partial verification approach maintains safety by checking critical parameters while avoiding unnecessary verification steps that would consume time.
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 the reliability of distance determination systems by preventing false distance readings, thereby improving safety in shared work areas by ensuring accurate distance measurements and timely responses to potential hazards.
Implementation Method 1
a first radio signal is transmitted by the mobile unit by means of a transmitter/receiver of the mobile unit
Implementation Method 2
the mobile unit detects a first transmitted value, which is determined depending on a time of transmission of the first radio signal
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a distance determination system (10) with a mobile unit (14) and a station unit (16), wherein a first radio signal (46) is transmitted by the mobile unit by means of a transmitter/receiver (20), the first radio signal (46) is received by the station unit (16) by means of a transmitter/receiver (22), a second radio signal (48) is transmitted by the station unit, the second radio signal is received by the mobile unit, wherein the unit transmitting the respective radio signal adds safety data, wherein the unit receiving the respective radio signal reads the safety data and compares it with predetermined expectation data, wherein a distance (12) between the mobile unit and the station unit is determined depending on the comparison of the safety data with the expectation data.According to the invention, a monitoring unit (78, 80) generates a reference signal (82) with reference safety data (96), wherein the monitoring unit outputs the reference signal to an antenna connection (26, 40), the reference signal is received, and the distance is determined by means of an evaluation unit (18) depending on the comparison of the reference safety data with reference expectation data.