Pedestrian-vehicle safety systems for loading docks

• US 10,032,380 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Mushynski, Alan, Sveum, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Dsouza, Adolf
• Application Number:
  US15/286,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/042 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/2882 operated by detectors or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

An example system includes pedestrian sensors to monitor a first pedestrian zone and a second pedestrian zone in front of a dock face of a loading dock. A first vehicle detector is to detect a vehicle near the first pedestrian zone and a second vehicle detector is to detect the vehicle near the second pedestrian zone. A sensor manager is to disable the first pedestrian zone when the first vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone and the at least one pedestrian sensors does not detect the pedestrian in the first pedestrian zone. The sensor manager is to disable the second pedestrian zone when the second vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone and at least one of the at least pedestrian sensors does not detect the pedestrian in the second pedestrian zone.

Claims

1. A sensor system for a loading dock, the sensor system comprising:

at least one or more pedestrian sensors to monitor a first pedestrian zone or a second pedestrian zone in front of a dock face of a loading dock, the pedestrian sensors to detect a pedestrian in at least one of the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone, wherein a first forward edge of the first pedestrian zone to be at a first distance from a wall of the loading dock and a second forward edge of the second pedestrian zone to be at a second distance from the wall, the first distance being greater than the second distance;

a first vehicle detector to detect a vehicle near the first pedestrian zone;

a second vehicle detector to detect the vehicle near the second pedestrian zone; and

a sensor manager to disable the first pedestrian zone when the first vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone and at least one of the pedestrian sensors does not detect the pedestrian in the first pedestrian zone, and the sensor manager to disable the second pedestrian zone when the second vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone and at least one of the pedestrian sensors does not detect the pedestrian in the second pedestrian zone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle detector is positioned to detect the vehicle prior to the vehicle entering the first pedestrian zone, and the second vehicle detector is positioned to detect the vehicle prior to the vehicle entering the second pedestrian zone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first pedestrian zone is to project across a first area from the dock face of the loading dock and the second pedestrian zone is to project across a second area from the dock face, the first area being greater than the second area.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle detector is to detect a vehicle crossing a first trigger line located a third distance from the dock face of the loading dock, the third distance being greater than the first distance.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second vehicle detector is to detect the vehicle crossing a second trigger line located a fourth distance from the dock face, the fourth distance being greater than the second distance and less than the first distance.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle detector is to monitor a first disable zone immediately adjacent the first forward edge of the first pedestrian zone, and the second vehicle detector is to monitor a second disable zone immediately adjacent the second forward edge of the second pedestrian zone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle detector monitors a first trigger area and a second trigger area spaced from the first trigger area, and the first vehicle detector to detect the vehicle when an object is present in both the first trigger area and the second trigger area contemporaneously.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second vehicle detector includes a third trigger area and a fourth trigger area spaced from the third trigger area, and the second vehicle detector is to detect the vehicle when an object is present in both the third trigger area and the fourth trigger area contemporaneously.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor manager is to control a signal device, and further including a vehicle monitor sensor to detect a vehicle moving toward the loading dock.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first pedestrian zone does not overlap the second pedestrian zone.

11. A sensor system for a loading dock, the sensor system comprising:

at least one or more pedestrian sensors to monitor a first pedestrian zone and a second pedestrian zone in front of a dock face of a loading dock, at least one of the pedestrian sensors to detect a pedestrian in at least one of the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone, the first pedestrian zone being different than the second pedestrian zone;

a first vehicle detector to detect a vehicle near the first pedestrian zone;

a second vehicle detector to detect the vehicle near the second pedestrian zone;

a vehicle monitor sensor to detect a vehicle moving toward the loading dock; and

a sensor manager to disable the first pedestrian zone when the first vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone and at least one of the pedestrian sensors does not detect the pedestrian in the first pedestrian zone, the sensor manager to disable the second pedestrian zone when the second vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone and at least one of the pedestrian sensors does not detect the pedestrian in the second pedestrian zone, the sensor manager to control a signal device, and wherein the sensor manager is to activate a first signal of the signal device when;

the at least one or more of the pedestrian sensors do not detect the presence of a pedestrian in the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone;

the vehicle monitor sensor does not detect the vehicle moving toward the loading dock;

the first vehicle detector does not detect the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone; and

the second vehicle detector does not detect the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor manager is to activate a second signal when:

the at least one or more of the pedestrian sensors do not detect the presence of a pedestrian in the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone, and at least one of;

the vehicle monitor sensor detects the vehicle moving toward the loading dock;

the first vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone;

or

the second vehicle detector detecting the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor manager is to activate a third signal when:

the at least one or more pedestrian sensors detect the presence of a pedestrian in the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone and;

the vehicle monitor sensor does not detect the vehicle moving toward the loading dock;

the first vehicle detector does not detect the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone; and

the second vehicle detector does not detect the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor manager is to activate a fourth signal when:

the at least one or more pedestrian sensors detect the presence of a pedestrian in the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone, and at least one of;

the vehicle monitor sensor detects the vehicle moving toward the loading dock;

the first vehicle detector detects the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone;

or

the second vehicle detector detecting the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone.

15. A method comprising:

monitoring a first pedestrian zone;

monitoring a second pedestrian zone different from the first pedestrian zone, the second pedestrian zone being in front of a dock face of a loading dock and the first pedestrian zone being in front of the second pedestrian zone such that a first forward edge of the first pedestrian zone to be at a first distance from a wall of the loading dock and a second forward edge of the second pedestrian zone to be at a second distance from the wall, the first distance being greater than the second distance;

monitoring for a presence of a pedestrian in at least one of the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone;

detecting a vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone;

discontinuing monitoring of the first pedestrian zone when the vehicle is detected approaching the first pedestrian zone and a pedestrian is not detected in the first pedestrian zone;

detecting the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone; and

discontinuing monitoring of the second pedestrian zone when the vehicle is detected approaching the second pedestrian zone and the pedestrian is not detected in the second pedestrian zone.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the detecting of the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone includes detecting the vehicle prior to the vehicle entering the first pedestrian zone.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the detecting of the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone includes detecting the vehicle prior to the vehicle entering the second pedestrian zone.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein a front of a first vehicle detector is located a third distance from the dock face of the loading dock to detect the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone, and wherein a front of a second vehicle detector is located a fourth distance from the dock face to detect the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone, the third distance being greater than the first distance, and the fourth distance being greater than the second distance and less than the first distance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first vehicle detector includes a first trigger area and a second trigger area laterally spaced from the first trigger area, and wherein the first vehicle detector is to detect the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone when an object is present in both the first trigger area and the second trigger area contemporaneously.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second vehicle detector includes a third trigger area and a fourth trigger area spaced from the third trigger area, and wherein the second vehicle detector is to detect the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone when an object is present in both the third trigger area and the fourth trigger area contemporaneously.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the first pedestrian zone does not overlap the second pedestrian zone.

22. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

monitor a first pedestrian zone;

monitor a second pedestrian zone different from the first pedestrian zone, wherein the first pedestrian zone does not overlap the second pedestrian zone, the second pedestrian zone being in front of a dock face of a loading dock and the first pedestrian zone being in front of the second pedestrian zone such that a first forward edge of the first pedestrian zone is to be at a first distance from the dock face and a second forward edge of the second pedestrian zone is to be at a second distance from the dock face, the first distance being greater than the second distance;

monitor for a presence of a pedestrian in at least one of the first pedestrian zone or the second pedestrian zone;

detect a vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone;

discontinue monitoring of the first pedestrian zone when the vehicle is detected approaching the first pedestrian zone and a pedestrian is not detected in the first pedestrian zone;

detect the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone; and

discontinue monitoring of the second pedestrian zone when the vehicle is detected approaching the second pedestrian zone and the pedestrian is not detected in the second pedestrian zone.

23. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 22, comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect the vehicle prior to the vehicle entering the first pedestrian zone when detecting the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone.

24. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 22, comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect the vehicle prior to the vehicle entering the second pedestrian zone when detecting the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone.

25. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 22, comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect an object crossing a first trigger line of a first vehicle detector located in front of a forward edge of the first pedestrian zone when detecting the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone.

26. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 25, comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect an object crossing a second trigger line of a second vehicle detector located in front of a forward edge of the second pedestrian zone when detecting the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone.

27. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 22, comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect the presence of the vehicle when an object is present in both a first trigger area and a second trigger area of a first vehicle detector contemporaneously when detecting the vehicle approaching the first pedestrian zone, the first vehicle detector being located in front of a forward edge of the first pedestrian zone, the first trigger area being laterally spaced from the second trigger area.

28. The computer-readable medium as defined in claim 27, comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to detect the presence of the vehicle when an object is present in both a third trigger area and a fourth trigger area of a second vehicle detector contemporaneously when detecting the vehicle approaching the second pedestrian zone, the second vehicle detector being located in front of a forward edge of the second pedestrian zone, the third trigger area being laterally spaced from the fourth trigger area.