Safety Switch Device Wireless Packet Conversion for Machine Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine control systems using portable operation terminals, such as tablets or smartphones, face challenges in reliably stopping machines due to inefficient wireless communication and potential interference between different wireless communication paths for machine operation and stop instruction signals, which affects portability, cost, and safety.
Innovation Solution
A machine control system with a portable operation terminal and a removably mounted safety switch device that converts stop instruction signals into packets, allowing these packets to be transmitted via a common communication channel with machine operation information to a controller, while using a different channel for receiving the packets from the safety switch device, thereby reducing interference and ensuring reliable machine stopping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wired communication path is used to connect the safety switch unit and the controller, then communication reliability is improved, but portability of the operation terminal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the wired mechanical connection with a wireless communication system. The safety switch device and controller communicate via wireless signals, eliminating the need for physical cables while maintaining communication functionality. This substitution preserves portability while establishing reliable wireless communication channels for safety signals.
2Ease of operation
If a wireless communication path is used to connect the safety switch unit and the controller, then portability is improved, but communication efficiency deteriorates due to requiring separate wireless communication for stop signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the safety signal transmission with the existing wireless communication infrastructure of the operation terminal. The stop signal is transmitted through the same wireless communication channel used for machine operation information, eliminating the need for a separate dedicated wireless channel. This integration improves communication efficiency while maintaining portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless communication unit of the operation terminal is designed to handle multiple functions: both machine operation information transmission and safety stop signal transmission. By making the communication system universal, the patent avoids the inefficiency of dedicated separate channels while preserving the portability benefits of wireless communication.
3Ease of operation
If a wireless communication path is used for both machine operation information and stop instruction signals, then portability and cost are improved, but mutual interference between communication paths occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wireless communication into distinct channels or frequency bands: one for machine operation information and another for safety stop signals. This segmentation allows both types of communication to occur simultaneously over the wireless medium without mutual interference, preserving both portability and signal reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication protocol or frequency allocation mechanism that mediates between machine operation communications and safety signal transmissions. This intermediary layer prevents interference by coordinating the use of the wireless medium, ensuring that critical stop signals are transmitted reliably while maintaining the benefits of wireless portability.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine control system includes an operation terminal which includes a communication unit and a touch panel unit and outputs machine operation information for operating a machine via the communication unit, a controller which controls the operation of the machine based on the received machine operation information, and a safety switch device which is mounted on the operation terminal and includes a switch unit which outputs a stop instruction signal for issuing an instruction to stop the machine, and a packet generation unit which converts the output stop instruction signal into a packet and outputs the packet to the operation terminal, wherein the operation terminal transfers the packet received from the safety switch device to the controller, and the controller restores a stop instruction signal from the packet received from the operation terminal and stops the machine based on the restored stop instruction signal.