Smartphone Machine Control with Sensor Validation for Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems using smartphones for controlling safety-critical machinery lack reliability and security, as smartphones are complex and unsecure, making them unsuitable for safety-critical applications without additional safety measures.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a safety concept that defers application logic to a reliable machine control entity, using smartphones as display and sensor devices, and validating sensor data through sequence monitoring and plausibility testing to ensure safe operation, thereby reducing risks and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If smartphones are used for controlling safety-critical machinery, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a machine control entity as an intermediary between the smartphone and the machinery. The smartphone serves only as a user interface, while the machine control entity processes control signals and validates sensor data, ensuring reliability while maintaining ease of operation through the smartphone interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the smartphone handles user interaction, the machine control entity handles signal processing and validation, and the machinery executes operations. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system reliability.
2Reliability
If sensor data validation is implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The machine control entity acts as an intermediary that centralizes the complex validation logic. Instead of distributing validation complexity across multiple components, the intermediary handles all sensor data validation, sequence monitoring, and plausibility testing in one location, maintaining reliability while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the machine control entity continuously validates sensor data and provides feedback on data quality. This feedback loop ensures reliability by detecting and correcting issues early, while the automated nature of the feedback reduces the perceived complexity for users.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments relate to apparatuses (10; 30), methods and computer programs for controlling a machine. The apparatus (10) is suitable for a mobile communication device (100) for providing a sensor input signal to a machine control entity (300) to control a machine (350). The apparatus (10) comprises one or more sensor modules (12) for providing first user input sensor data and second user input sensor data. The apparatus further comprises a control module (16) configured to determine the sensor input signal based on the first user input sensor data and the second user input sensor data. The control module (16) is further configured to provide the sensor input signal for sensor data processing to the machine control entity (300) to control the machine (350) via an interface (18).