INFRARED SAFETY SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080240577A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation, Inc.
• Inventors: Aartsen, Frank Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,620 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/218
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/142 using image capturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automated safety system having at least one projector to direct electromagnetic energy into a region of space associated with a security, warning, or safety zone. A detector or detectors senses an interruption of the electromagnetic energy in the region of space by an object or person that may enter the space. The system includes a processor and a storage component, wherein the processor determines the interruption by comparing a current image from the detector with a previously stored image in the storage component. Upon detection, the processor triggers an event based upon the comparison, whereby the event includes such aspects as activating an output, de-energizing a machine, sounding a warning, sounding an alarm, storing data associated with the event, and sending a notification to a local or a remote system, for example.

Claims

1. An automated safety system, comprising:

at least one projector to direct electromagnetic energy into a region of space; and

a component that adjusts one or more zones having similar or differing shapes in the region of space;

at least one detector that senses an interruption of the electromagnetic energy at predetermined or periodic intervals in the zones; and

a processor and a storage component, the processor determines the interruption by comparing a current image from the detector with a previously stored image in the storage component.

3. The system of claim 1, the processor triggers an event based upon the comparison.

4. The system of claim 3, the event includes activating an output, de-energizing a machine, sounding a warning, sounding an alarm, storing data associated with the event, and sending a notification to a local or a remote system.

5. The system of claim 1, the processor constructs at least one of a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image from the detector of claim 1 in order to determine the interruption.

6. The system of claim 1, the electromagnetic energy has a wavelength from 840 nanometers (nm) to 950 nm.

7. The system of claim 1, the region of space is allocated as a security zone that contains zero or more objects that normally occupy the region.

9. The system of claim 1, the interruption is determined by analyzing pixel intensity from a current image as compared to a stored image.

10. The system of claim 9, the interruption is determined from a threshold value related to the pixel intensity.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least a second detector for sensing the interruption, the detector and the second detector adjusted a differing angles.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one safety output and a safety relay for controlling equipment.

13. The system of claim 1, the projector directs a pattern for the electromagnetic energy into the region of space.

14. The system of claim 1, the projector is equipped with a zoom lens with adjustments for setting focus.

16. The system of claim 1, the zones are configured as a warning zone, a safety zone, or a security zone.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a control component that at least one of monitors one or more areas via various detectors, logs events, sends electronic messages to authorities, sounds alarms, sends messages to substantially via wireless, and communicates over the Internet.

2. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

18. An automated security system, comprising:

means for defining a security area;

means for projecting infrared energy image into the security area;

means for adjusting one or more zones having similar or differing shapes in the security area;

means for detecting a blockage in the infrared energy image as received from at least one of the security area or zones by comparing a current image from the detector with a previously stored image.

19. A method for providing automated security for an area, comprising:

projecting an energy pattern into a defined area;

adjusting one or more zones having similar or differing shapes in the defined area;

capturing an initial image of the energy pattern and the defined area;

monitoring the defined area at predetermined intervals; and

automatically determining if an intrusion has occurred in a zone by comparing the initial image with subsequent captured images and determining whether or not one or more associated pixels after comparison are at a different intensity than initially captured pixels.

20. The method of claim 19, the energy pattern is in the infrared spectrum.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising at least one of triggering an event, energizing or de-energizing an output, sounding an alarm, and generating a notification.

21. (canceled)

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising automatically monitoring the defined area remotely via a control system.

23. (canceled)

25. An automated safety system, comprising:

a projector that projects infrared energy into a predetermined area;

at least two cameras that receive the infrared energy from the predetermined area;

a safety output to control machinery; and

a processor that activates the safety output based in part on determining a disruption of the infrared energy from the cameras.

26. An automated safety system, comprising:

at least one projector to direct electromagnetic energy into a region of space; and

at least two detectors that are placed at a predetermined distance with respect to each other, the detectors placed at a known angle with respect to the projector in order to determine a three dimensional contour of an object.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a component for angle measuring that determines a difference in angles where a similar projection is detected by the detectors.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising a recognition zone that is programmed in the detectors to determine a contour of an object.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a component to determine if the contour meets pre-programmed requirements, then the object is allowed to enter a safety zone without causing associated outputs to change state.

30. The system of claim 26, the detectors include one or more inputs to activate subsequent functionality.

31. The system of claim 26, the detectors are equipped with a configuration module storing programmed configurations for ease of exchange with other detectors.

32. The system of claim 26, the projector is equipped with 1 or more reference projections as a basis to synchronize the detectors as part of a total assembly in order to enable angle measurements.

33. The system of claim 26, the object is equipped with an auxiliary projector that emits an energy detectable by the detectors, and employed to track movement of the object to activate one or more functions in the detectors.

34. The system of claim 33, the functions include triggering the detector to change pre-programmed zones to another pre-programmed zone or enabling the detector to work with “

active”

zones, including zones adapting to an actual state of the machinery guarded by the detector.

35. The system of claim 26, the detectors are equipped with one or more I/O ports to connect one or more detector assembly'"'"'s with each other forming a functional chain.