Safety Scanner Adaptive Field Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety laser scanners for vehicles, such as AGVs, face challenges in reliably determining vehicle speed for adaptive protective field adjustments, leading to structural difficulties and increased costs due to the need for redundant encoders and dependency on environmental features for optical speed determination.
Innovation Solution
A safety scanner that integrates with the vehicle controller to receive setpoint speed signals, allowing for vehicle speed-dependent switching of protective fields without redundant external speedometers, using incremental encoder signals and navigation system data for precise speed determination, thereby reducing hardware requirements and environmental dependencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two independent incremental encoders are used to determine vehicle speed, then fail-safe speed determination is achieved, but device complexity and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the speed determination function with the existing navigation system and single encoder, merging multiple functions (navigation, speed measurement, protective field control) into a unified system rather than using separate redundant encoders
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system and single encoder are made multi-functional, serving both navigation purposes and speed determination for protective field switching, eliminating the need for dedicated redundant speed sensing hardware
2Device complexity
If optical speed determination using laser scanner is used, then redundant encoders are eliminated, but dependency on environmental features increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using the navigation system as a mediator between environmental features and speed determination, filtering and validating optical measurements against navigation data to reduce environmental dependency
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the navigation system to validate and correct optical speed measurements, creating a closed-loop system that compensates for environmental variability and improves reliability
3Reliability
If redundant incremental encoders with separate connections are provided, then fail-safe speed signals are obtained, but installation space and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the speed signaling function into the existing navigation system communication interface, eliminating the need for separate encoder connection terminals and reducing scanner installation space
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 safe and efficient adaptive protective field switching, reducing installation space and costs while ensuring reliable collision avoidance and emergency stop functionality, independent of environmental features.
Implementation Method 1
A light beam generated by a laser is directed into a protected area via a light deflection unit
Implementation Method 2
The remitted light returns to the laser scanning unit and is detected there by a receiver
Implementation Method 3
A light beam generated by a laser is directed into a protected area
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a safety scanner for securing the area around a vehicle, in particular a driverless transport system, comprising a light transmitter, a light deflection unit for deflecting the light into a protective field to be monitored, a receiver for providing received signals depending on light reflected from objects present in the scanner's field of view, an evaluation unit for evaluating the received signals and the incremental encoder signals and for providing a safety signal, a first input connected to a vehicle speed determination unit for receiving first signals that are representative of a vehicle speed, and switching means for safely switching between at least two different protective fields depending on the vehicle speed.To provide a safety scanner that saves on components and has a simple design, it is proposed that a second input be connected to the vehicle speed determination unit to receive target speed signals from the vehicle, and that the vehicle speed determination unit have comparability means with which, based on the first signals and the target speed signals, an actual speed can be compared with a target speed, and the safety signal can also be output depending on this comparison.