Dynamic virtual fencing for a hazardous environment

• US 10,417,892 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Das, Saptarshi, Das, Siddharth, Ragunathan, Karthik
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Point, Rufus C
• Application Number:
  US14/968,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20160171862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A method and system for automatically generating dynamic virtual fences in a hazardous environment are provided. The method includes detecting a potential hazard associated with a field object in the hazardous environment. The method further includes determining a value of a risk factor of the potential hazard and area and shape of a dynamic virtual fence based on values of real-time operational parameters associated with the field object. The method includes automatically representing the dynamic virtual fence around a location of the field object on a map of the hazardous environment based on the determined area and shape and the value of the risk factor such that the dynamic virtual fence represents a hazardous zone in the hazardous environment.

Claims

1. A method of automatically generating dynamic virtual fences for a hazardous environment to increase safety for personnel or mobile robots in the hazardous environment, the method comprising:

detecting, via a processor, a potential hazard associated with at least one field object in the hazardous environment;

determining, via the processor, a risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object based on values of two or more real-time operational parameters associated with the at least one field object;

determining, via the processor, an area and a shape of a dynamic virtual fence for the at least one field object based on the values of the real-time operational parameters associated with the at least one field object;

providing, via the processor, a location of the at least one field object, the area and the shape of the dynamic virtual fence for the at least one field object, and the risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object to the personnel, mobile robots, or personnel and mobile robots located in the hazardous environment; and

automatically representing, via the processor, the dynamic virtual fence around a location of the at least one field object on a map of the hazardous environment based on the determined area and shape and a value of the risk factor of the potential hazard;

controlling, via the processor, the mobile robots based on the provided location of the at least one field object, the area and the shape of the dynamic virtual fence for the at least one field object, and the risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object;

or a combination thereof,

wherein the representation of the dynamic virtual fence around the location of the at least one field object on the map is rendered on a mobile device of the personnel,

wherein the dynamic virtual fence represents a hazardous zone in the hazardous environment, and the risk factor indicates amount of impact of the potential hazard.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object comprises:

determining, via the processor, an operational status of the at least one field object; and

detecting, via the processor, the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object based on the operational status of the at least one field object.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a type of the at least one field object based on an equipment identifier associated with the at least one field object;

obtaining a look-up table corresponding to the type of the at least one field object from a look-up table database, wherein the look-up table indicates a plurality of threshold ranges of operational parameters, corresponding values of the risk factor of the potential hazard, and corresponding area and shape of the dynamic virtual fence;

determining a threshold range in the look-up table in which the values of the real-time operational parameters fall from the plurality of threshold ranges of operational parameters.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the value of the risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object comprises determining the value of the risk factor of the potential hazard corresponding to the determined threshold range using the look-up table.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the area and the shape of the dynamic virtual fence comprises determining the area and shape of the dynamic virtual fence, which corresponds to the determined threshold range using the look-up table.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, via the processor, change in the values of the real-time operational parameters associated with the at least one field object;

determining, via the processor, a value of the risk factor of the potential hazard based on the changed values of the real-time operational parameters;

determining, via the processor, area and shape of the dynamic virtual fence based on the changed values of the real-time operational parameters; and

dynamically adjusting, via the processor, the dynamic virtual fence represented on the map of the hazardous environment according to the determined shape and area and the value of the risk factor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuously monitoring location of the personnel or mobile robots in the hazardous environment.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, via the processor, whether any of the personnel or mobile robots is entering the dynamic virtual fence based on the location of the personnel or mobile robots with respect to the dynamic virtual fence.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, via the processor, whether any of the personnel or mobile robots is located within the dynamic virtual fence based on the location of the personnel or mobile robots with respect to the dynamic virtual fence.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a warning signal to any of the mobile robots or a mobile device of any of the personnel based on the determination of whether any of the personnel or mobile robots is located within the dynamic virtual fence.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein providing comprises communicating information associated with the location of the at least one field object, the area and the shape of the dynamic virtual fence for the at least one field object, and the risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object to any of the mobile robots or to a mobile device of any of the personnel.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the warning signal comprises:

a flashing representation of the dynamic virtual fence around the location of the at least one field object on the map rendered on the mobile device, an alarm sound, or combinations thereof;

instructions for any of the mobile robots to not enter the hazardous zone represented by the dynamic virtual fence;

or

combinations thereof.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises a fence generation module stored in the form of instructions executable by the processor, the instructions comprising;

detecting a potential hazard associated with at least one field object in a hazardous environment;

determining a value of a risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object based on values of two or more real-time operational parameters associated with the at least one field object;

determining area and shape of a dynamic virtual fence for the at least one field object based on the values of the real-time operational parameters associated with the at least one field object;

providing a location of the at least one field object, the area and the shape of the dynamic virtual fence for the at least one field object, and the value of the risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object to personnel or mobile robots located in the hazardous environment; and

automatically representing the dynamic virtual fence around a location of the at least one field object on a map of the hazardous environment based on the determined area and shape and the value of the risk factor;

controlling the mobile robots based on the provided location of the at least one field object, the area and the shape of the dynamic virtual fence for the at least one field object, and the risk factor of the potential hazard associated with the at least one field object;

or a combination thereof,

wherein the representation of the dynamic virtual fence around the location of the at least one field object on the map is rendered on a mobile device of the personnel,

wherein the dynamic virtual fence represents a hazardous zone in the hazardous environment, and the risk factor indicates an amount of impact of the potential hazard.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise:

determining a change in the values of the real-time operational parameters associated with the at least one field object;

determining the value of the risk factor of the potential hazard based on the changed values of the real-time operational parameters;

determining the area and shape of the dynamic virtual fence based on the changed values of the real-time operational parameters; and

dynamically adjusting the dynamic virtual fence represented on the map of the hazardous environment according to the determined shape and area and the value of the risk factor.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory comprises a risk determination module operable to continuously monitor a location of the personnel or mobile robots in the hazardous environment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the risk determination module is operable to determine whether any of the personnel or mobile robots is entering the dynamic virtual fence based on the location of the personnel or mobile robots with respect to the dynamic virtual fence.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the risk determination module is operable to determine whether any of the personnel or mobile robots is located within the dynamic virtual fence based on the location of the personnel or mobile robots with respect to the dynamic virtual fence.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the memory comprises a notification module operable to send a warning signal to any of the mobile robots or a mobile device of any of the personnel based on the determination of whether any of the personnel or mobile robots is located within the dynamic virtual fence.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the warning signal comprises:

a flashing representation of the dynamic virtual fence around the location of the at least one field object on the map rendered on the mobile device, an alarm sound, or combinations thereof;

instructions for any of the mobile robots to not enter the hazardous zone represented by the dynamic virtual fence;

or

combinations thereof.