RECOGNITION-BASED INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION CONTROL WITH PERSON AND OBJECT DISCRIMINATION

• US 20140244037A1
• 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., Brandt, David D., Dotson, Gary D., Gibart, Tony
• Granted Patent: US 9,393,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/253
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/256 of results relating to different input data, e.g. multimodal recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for performing industrial automation control in an industrial automation system may include detecting, via a sensor system, positions and/or motions of one or more humans and/or one or more objects in an industrial automation system and distinguishing, via a programmed computer system, between one or more humans and one or more objects based upon the detected positions and/or motions. The method may then include implementing a control and/or notification action based upon the distinction.

Claims

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

detecting, via a sensor system, positions and/or motions of one or more humans and/or one or more objects in an industrial automation system;

distinguishing, via a programmed computer system, between one or more humans and one or more objects based upon the detected positions and/or motions; and

implementing a control and/or notification action based upon the distinction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the humans is designated as an authorized operator, wherein the one of the humans is distinguished from other humans who is not the authorized operator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the authorized operator is distinguished based upon an article carried or worn by the authorized operator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the article comprises an article of clothing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the humans is distinguished from an object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein an environmental system is controlled based upon whether the one of the humans or the object is detected.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the environmental system comprises lighting unit or an air conditioning unit, and wherein the lighting unit or the air conditioning unit is configured to operate in a human-suitable condition if the human is detected.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the environmental system comprises lighting unit or an air conditioning unit, and wherein the lighting unit or the air conditioning unit is placed in a human-unsuitable condition if the object is detected and no human is detected.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

detecting, via the sensor system, an undesirable object in the industrial automation system; and

implementing the control and/or notification action based upon the detection of the undesired object.

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

a sensor system configured to detect positions and/or motions of an element in an industrial system;

a processing component configured to;

determine whether the element corresponds to one or more humans or one or more objects based on the detected positions and/or motions; and

send a command to an environment control device in the industrial system based upon whether the element corresponds to one or more humans or the one or more objects.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing component is configured to determine whether the element corresponds to the one or more humans or the one or more objects by comparing the detected positions with a known pattern of positions associated with a human.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing component is configured to determine whether the element corresponds to the one or more humans or the one or more objects by comparing the detected motions with a known pattern of motion associated with a human.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing component is configured to send the command to the environment control device to control the airflow, maintain the air quality, or regulate the temperature in the industrial system when the element corresponds to the one or more humans.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the environment control device is a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the command to the HVAC unit is configured to set a condition in the industrial system to a human-unsuitable condition when the element does not correspond to the one or more humans.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing component is configured to send the command to the environment control device to turn on one or more lights in the industrial system when the element corresponds to the one or more humans.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing component is configured to:

determine whether the element is present in an area, wherein the element is determined to correspond to the one or more humans; and

send an automation command to stop an industrial automation device when the element is present in the area.

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

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

determining, via a programmed computer system, whether the one or more one or more humans are associated with an authorized status based upon the detected positions and/or motions; and

implementing a control and/or notification action based upon the distinction.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the detected positions and/or motions comprise a gesture-based sign in motion.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising:

detecting, via the sensor system, an article of clothing is disposed on the one or more humans; and

determining, via the programmed computer system, that the one or more one or more humans are associated with the authorized status when the article of clothing is disposed on the one or more humans.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein determining, via the programmed computer system, that the one or more humans are associated with the authorized status comprises:

detecting, via the sensor system, one or more facial features and/or body parameters of the one or more humans;

comparing the detected facial features and/or body parameters to one or more profiles of a human; and

determining that the one or more one or more humans are associated with the authorized status based on the comparison.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein determining, via the programmed computer system, that the one or more one or more humans are associated with the authorized status comprises:

detecting, via the sensor system, one or more colors disposed on the one or more humans; and

determining that the one or more humans are associated with the authorized status when the colors are associated with the authorized status.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein determining, via the programmed computer system, that the one or more humans are associated with the authorized status comprises receiving one or more signals from one or more sensors disposed on the one or more humans, wherein the one or more signals are associated with the authorized status.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the one or more sensors comprise radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors.