RECOGNITION-BASED INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION CONTROL WITH POSITION AND DERIVATIVE DECISION REFERENCE

• US 20140244004A1
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, Steven J., Nguyen, Thong T., Vasko, David A., Wishart, Marco, Tidwell, Travis
• Granted Patent: US 9,804,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/56
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/12 with means, e.g. feelers, which in case of the presence of a body part of a person in or near the danger zone influence the control or operation of the machine F16P3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/141 using sound propagation, e.g. sonar
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/142 using image capturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/145 using magnetic technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/147 using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4061 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40203 Detect position of operator, create non material barrier to protect operator

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for performing industrial automation control may include detecting, via a sensor system, positions and/or motions of a human in an industrial automation system, determining at least one derivative value from the detected positions and/or motions, and determining a possible automation command and an undesirable condition based upon the detected positions and/or motions and the at least one derivative value. The method may then include implementing a control and/or notification action based upon the determined possible automation command and the undesired condition.

Claims

1. A method for performing industrial automation control, comprising:

detecting, via a sensor system, positions and/or motions of an element in an industrial automation system;

determining at least one derivative value of the detected positions and/or motions;

determining a possible automation command corresponding to the detected positions and/or motions and/or the at least one derivative value; and

implementing a control and/or notification action based upon the determined possible automation command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one derivative value comprises a derivative of the detected positions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one derivative value comprises a derivative of the detected motions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control and/or notification action comprises increasing a speed of an industrial automation device, decreasing the speed of the industrial automation device, or stopping the industrial automation device based upon the at least one derivative value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one derivative value corresponds to a velocity of the detected motions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one derivative value corresponds to an acceleration of the detected motions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the possible automation command comprises:

determining the possible automation command based on the determined positions and/or motions;

determining whether the at least one derivative value is within a range of expected derivative values; and

modifying the possible automation command when the at least one derivative value is not within a range of expected derivative values.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the range of expected derivative values is determined based on one or more positions and/or motions of the element monitored over time.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising sending a notification message indicating that the element is not moving as expected when the at least one derivative value is not within a range of expected derivative values.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the element comprises a human, a machine, or an object in the industrial automation system.

11. A method for performing industrial automation control, comprising:

detecting, via a sensor system, positions and/or motions of a human in an industrial automation system;

determining at least one derivative value from the detected positions and/or motions;

determining a possible automation command and an undesirable condition based upon the detected positions and/or motions and the at least one derivative value; and

implementing a control and/or notification action based upon the determined possible automation command and the undesired condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the undesired condition comprises a human falling, becoming immobile, or becoming incapacitated.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the undesired condition comprises presence of an undesired or unknown person.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the undesired condition comprises a machine component entering into a space.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the possible automation command, comprises:

predicting whether the human will physically contact a machine in the industrial automation system, an industrial automation device in the industrial automation system, an object in the industrial automation system, or any combination thereof based on the detected positions and/or motions and the at least one derivative value; and

determining an automation command that corresponds to the machine, the industrial automation device, or any combination thereof based on the prediction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the automation command is configured to move the machine, the industrial automation device, or any combination thereof away from the human.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the automation command is configured to stop an operation of the machine, the industrial automation device, or any combination thereof.

18. A system for performing industrial automation control, comprising:

a sensor system configured to detect positions and/or motions of a human;

a processing system configured to;

interpret the detected positions and/or motions;

identify a possible automation command based on the interpretted positions and/or motions;

determine undesirable conditions based on the interpreted positions and/or motions; and

implement a control and/or notification action based upon the identified possible automation command and the undesired conditions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing system comprises a memory configured to store a plurality of possible automation commands and a plurality of positions and/or motions that corresponds to the plurality of possible automation commands.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing system is configured to:

determine one or more confidence values that correspond to the detected positions and/or motions; and

implement the control and/or notification action when the confidence values are greater than a threshold.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing system is configured to:

receive an automation system signal from at least one additional control component; and

implement the control and/or notification action when the automation system signal is received.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing system is configured to:

determine an importance factor that corresponds to the identified automation command based on the interpreted positions and/or motions; and

modify the identified automation command based on the importance factor.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing system is configured to interpret the detected positions and/or motions by determining at least one derivative value of the detected positions and/or motions.