Intralogistics Workflow Control Using Radio Localization for Human Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data systems for organizing workflows in environments involving human and machine collaboration lack adequate protection for human safety, particularly in scenarios with increasing reliance on electronic data processing and the integration of drones and assistance systems, which can compromise human integrity due to inadequate safety-technical measures.
Innovation Solution
A data system that divides intra-logistic work regions into production or storage areas accessible by humans and machines through expediently distributed radio transmitters and receivers, utilizing various driverless transport systems and robots with manufacturer-specific control subsystems, along with orientation markers, and a process manager for controlling workflows, ensuring continuous data connectivity and position determination via localization systems to enhance safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If driverless transport systems and robots are integrated into production regions, then productivity and automation are improved, but human safety is compromised due to inadequate protection measures
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the work region into production/storage regions and transport regions, creating spatial separation between human work areas and autonomous transport paths. This segmentation allows automated systems to operate in designated zones while maintaining safety boundaries, resolving the contradiction between automation and human safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Radio transmitters and receivers are deployed as intermediary communication devices throughout the workspace, enabling data-technological connectivity between humans, machines, and the central control system. This intermediary layer facilitates coordinated operation and safety monitoring without requiring direct physical interaction, allowing productivity improvement while maintaining safety.
2Productivity
If electronic data processing systems are deployed for workflow organization, then operational efficiency is improved, but susceptibility to environmental influences and safety failures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radio-based communication system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables data transmission for workflow coordination, provides localization capabilities for position determination, and supports safety monitoring. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, thereby improving reliability while maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Driverless transport systems and robots determine their own positions using the radio infrastructure and orientation markers, without requiring external measurement systems. This self-localization capability makes the system more resilient to environmental influences and failures in external monitoring, improving reliability while maintaining automated operation.
3Device complexity
If measured access points are eliminated in favor of distributed radio subscribers, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision for position determination may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the localization function from dedicated measured access points and integrates it into the existing radio communication infrastructure. By using the same radio transmitters and receivers for both communication and position determination, the system eliminates the need for separate measurement infrastructure, reducing complexity while maintaining precision through the use of orientation markers and triangulation algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
Data system for organising workflows, in which the cooperation of human beings and machines is controlled intra-logistically with optimum protection for the human beings involved, having the following features: g) an intra-logistically relevant work area is divided into production or storage areas (1) that are accessible, by means of transport areas (7), to the human beings and machines involved in the work process without obstacles, wherein the transport areas (7) are completely available to data systems by means of expediently distributed radio subscribers as transmitters and receivers (6), and an intra-logistical manager system undertakes the superordinate control, h) numerous DTSs (driverless transport systems) in various configurations and manufacturer-specific control subsystems are usable, besides transport drones (9), for handling the transport tasks that arise, i) robots in various configurations and manufacturer-specific control subsystems are used, besides people (2) equipped with radios, for carrying out work that arises.