Area sensor and external storage device

• US 10,641,871 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hokuyo Automatic Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hokuyo Automatic Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Higashi, Toshiya, Wagle, Santosh
• Primary Examiner(s): Geisel, Kara E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Underwood, Jarreas C
• Application Number:
  US15/764,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20180275253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/48 of systems according to group G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4861 Circuits for detection, sampling, integration or read-out
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions

Abstract

An area sensor includes: a sensor unit that emits measurement light with which a monitoring area is scanned, and detects reflected light of the measurement light; and a system controller that controls the sensor unit to output sensor information to an external device, the sensor information including object information in the monitoring area obtained based on an output signal from the sensor unit, the system controller including: a memory interface to which a portable external storage device is connectable, a sensor controller that controls the sensor unit, and a memory controller that accesses the external storage device; and a start processing unit which operates the memory controller in priority to the system controller, when the external storage device is connected to the memory interface.

Claims

1. An area sensor comprising:

a sensor in which a distance measurement device is incorporated, the sensor with the distance measurement device measuring a distance by emitting a measurement light with which a monitoring area is scanned and detecting a reflected light of the measurement light;

a memory interface for connecting a removable external storage device;

a communication interface which outputs a signal to an external device different from the removable external storage device; and

a processor programmed to;

control the sensor to output sensor information to the external device through the communication interface, the sensor information including object information in the monitoring area obtained based on an output signal from the sensor; and

in response to determining that the removable external storage device is connected to the memory interface,

execute authentication processing by comparing an identification code stored in the removable external storage device and an identification code uniquely set to the area sensor; and

access the removable external storage device, such that data exchange via the memory interface of the area sensor takes priority over data exchange via the communication interface of the area sensor.

2. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

in response to determining that the removable external storage device is connected to the memory interface, the memory interface automatically outputs an interrupt signal to the processor of the area sensor; and

in response to the interrupt signal, an operation over the memory interface is processed in priority to an operation over the communication interface in normal condition.

3. The area sensor according to claim 2, wherein the processor is programmed to:

execute a read processing and/or a write processing based on a command which is (i) associated with the identification code uniquely set to the area sensor and (ii) stored in the removable external storage device, when the identification code uniquely set to the area sensor matches the identification code stored in the removable external storage device in the authentication processing.

4. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to:

execute a read processing and/or a write processing based on a command which is (i) associated with the identification code uniquely set to the area sensor and (ii) stored in the removable external storage device, when the identification code uniquely set to the area sensor matches the identification code stored in the removable external storage device in the authentication processing.

5. The removable external storage device connected to the area sensor according to claim 1, the removable external storage device storing therein:

at least one identification code for identifying an area sensor to be a target of the write processing or the read processing,

a write command or a read command associated with the at least one identification code, and

data identifying information for identifying data to be a target of the write command or the read command.

6. The removable external storage device according to claim 5, wherein the removable external storage device includes any one of a removable SD memory, a USB memory, and a hard disk.

7. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor of the area sensor updates the monitoring area that is to be scanned with the measurement light based on the data exchange via the memory interface; and

the monitoring area and parameters for scanning the monitoring area are reset according to a command stored in the removable external storage device.

8. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the sensor information is output to the external device at a timing determined based on a command stored in the removable external storage device.

9. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the external device is at least one of a robot and an automatic guided vehicle.

10. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein

a program executed by the processor of the area sensor is updated by connecting the removable external storage device to the memory interface without connecting a personal computer.

11. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein

the removable external storage device stores a command for the area sensor and a condition associated with the command, the condition designating a type and a location of a target data on which an operation designated by the command is to be performed.

12. The area sensor according to claim 1, wherein:

the removable external storage device stores a command for the area sensor; and

the command resets the monitoring area that is scanned with the measurement light.

13. An area sensor comprising:

a sensor that emits measurement light with which a monitoring area is scanned, and detects reflected light of the measurement light;

a memory interface for connecting a removable external storage device; and

a processor programmed to;

control the sensor to output sensor information to an external device, the sensor information including object information in the monitoring area obtained based on an output signal from the sensor;

access the external storage device to execute authentication processing to compare an identification code stored in the external storage device to an identification code uniquely set to the area sensor, and to execute read processing and/or write processing based on a command which is (i) associated with the identification code uniquely set to the area sensor and (ii) stored in the external storage device, when the identification code uniquely set to the area sensor matches the identification code stored in the external storage device in the authentication processing;

execute a program stored in a program storage area of a storage unit inside the area sensor, the storage unit being segmented into the program storage area storing therein an operation program of the area sensor and a data storage area storing therein information on the monitoring area;

execute an access program, for accessing the external storage device, in the program stored in the program storage area; and

execute the read processing and/or the write processing based on the command stored in the external storage device,

the read processing including;

reading an update program from the external storage device and writing the update program to the program storage area, or

reading control information from the external storage device and writing the control information to the data storage area,

the write processing including;

reading sensor information stored in the data storage area of the storage unit and writing the sensor information to the external storage device, or

reading control information stored in the data storage area of the storage unit and writing the control information to the external storage device.

14. The area sensor according to claim 13, wherein the control information includes any one of

area information that defines the monitoring area,

number of areas information that defines number of the monitoring areas,

interlock information that holds sensor information output to the external device,

restart information for automatically or manually resetting the sensor information output to the external device, and

master-slave information that defines the area sensor to operate as master or slave upon being connected to a network.

15. The area sensor according to claim 13, wherein the sensor information includes the output signal from the sensor and the object information in the monitoring area obtained based on the output signal.

16. The area sensor according to claim 13, wherein:

the control information includes any one of

area information that defines the monitoring area,

number of areas information that defines number of the monitoring areas,

interlock information that holds sensor information output to the external device,

restart information for automatically or manually resetting the sensor information output to the external device, and

master-slave information that defines the area sensor to operate as master or slave upon being connected to a network; and

the sensor information includes the output signal from the sensor and the object information in the monitoring area obtained based on the output signal.