Creation and monitoring of variable buffer zones

• US 5,987,379 A
• Filed: 10/30/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/960,730
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/200, 701/117, 701/301, 73/178 R, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 340/825.54, 340/825.37, 340/539, 340/573.4, 340/825.38, 340/573.3, 340/825.31, 340/531, 340/573.1, 340/825.49 , 340/514, 340/940, 342/357, 342/463, 342/455, 342/29, 379/38, 119/720, 119/908, 119/721, 119/859, 119/502
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 11/008 incorporating GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/24 Safety devices , e.g. for preventing overload E02F9/226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0225 Monitoring making use of different thresholds, e.g. for different alarm levels
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0288 Attachment of child unit to child/article
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 119/908 Electrical animal control or handling

Abstract

A system for monitoring operation and location of a movable entity, such as a person, vehicle, movable equipment item or movable structure, at an activity site, such as a construction or mining site, that carries a location determination (LD) signal module to determine the entity'"'"'s present location. When a restricted or hazardous activity occurs without warning (emergency) or is scheduled to occur at a selected location (fixed or moving) and selected time interval on the site, a buffer zone surrounding the restricted activity location is determined, and any movable entity that is within or will come within the buffer zone is advised to move or be moved elsewhere during the time the restricted activity occurs, unless the movable entity has an associated priority that is greater than an associated priority for the restricted activity. The buffer zone may vary with time in size, location and other characteristics. Complex buffer zones, resulting from overlap of two or more activated buffer zones, can also be created and monitored. Signals can be received by the LD module from sources such as GPS, GLONASS and LEO satellites, or from ground-based signal sources such as Loran signal towers.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring operation of a movable entity at an activity site, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the location of a designated movable entity at an activity site, using location determination (LD) signals received from two or more LD signal sources;

when the designated movable entity becomes involved in one or more of a selected group of restricted activities, determining a restricted activity variable buffer zone that surrounds at least one scheduled location or present location of the designated movable entity, and transmitting restricted activity information including at least one of (1) an indicium identifying the designated movable entity, (2) present location of the designated movable entity, (3) an anticipated location of the designated movable entity when a restricted activity is scheduled to occur, (4) physical extent of the restricted activity exclusion zone, (5) a time at which the designated movable entity will first become involved in the restricted activity, (6) a time after which the designated movable entity will no longer be involved in the restricted activity, and (7) any special precaution that should be taken during at least one time when a restricted activity occurs, where at least one of the buffer zone location and buffer zone size can vary with time;

transmitting said restricted activity information to a second movable entity at said activity site;

determining a location and present activity of said second movable entity;

determining a priority associated with a present activity of said movable entity, and comparing the movable entity priority with a priority associated with said restricted activity; and

transmitting a signal indicating that said second movable entity should be moved to outside said buffer zone, only if the location of said second movable is within said buffer zone and the movable entity priority is not greater than the restricted activity priority.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting said buffer zone with reference to said restricted activity in which said designated movable entity becomes involved.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a location of said second movable entity; and

transmitting a signal indicating that said second movable entity should be moved to outside said buffer zone, if the location of said second movable is within said buffer zone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of choosing said second movable entity at said activity site from the class consisting of a human being, a vehicle, a movable equipment item, and a movable structure.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of audibly or visually presenting at least one of said restricted activity information and a location of said second movable entity to said second movable entity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of choosing said movable entity at said activity site from the class consisting of a human being, a vehicle, a movable equipment item, and a movable structure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting said restricted activity information to a central monitoring station for said activity site.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting said LD signal sources from a group of satellite-based sources consisting of GPS signal sources, GLONASS signal sources and LEO signal sources.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting said LD signal sources from a group of ground-based sources consisting of Loran signal sources, Tacan signal sources, Decca signal sources and Omega signal sources.

10. A method of monitoring operation of an activity structure at an activity site, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the location of a selected activity structure at an activity site, using location determination (LD) signals received from two or more LD signal sources;

when the activity structure becomes involved in one or more of a selected group of restricted activities, determining a restricted activity variable buffer zone that surrounds the activity structure and transmitting restricted activity information including at least one of (1) an indicium identifying a first movable entity, (2) location of the activity structure, (3) physical extent of the buffer zone, (4) a time at which the first movable entity will first become involved in the restricted activity, (5) a time after which the first movable entity will no longer be involved in the restricted activity, (6) any special precaution that should be taken during at least one time when a restricted activity occurs, for use by a least one movable entity at the activity site, (7) whether the first movable entity is excluded from the buffer zone; and

(8) whether the first movable entity may continue its present activities within the buffer zone, where at least one of the buffer zone location and buffer zone size can vary with time;

transmitting said restricted activity information to a second movable entity at said activity site;

determining a location and present activity of said second movable entity;

determining a priority associated with a present activity of said movable entity, and comparing the movable entity priority with a priority associated with said restricted activity; and

transmitting a signal indicating that said second movable entity should be moved to outside said buffer zone, only of the location of said second movable is within said buffer zone and the movable entity priority is not greater that the restricted activity priority.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of selecting said buffer zone with reference to said restricted activity in which said designated movable entity becomes involved.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining a location of said second movable entity; and

transmitting a signal indicating that said second movable entity should be moved to outside said buffer zone, if the location of said second movable is within said buffer zone.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of choosing said second movable entity at said activity site from the class consisting of a human being, a vehicle, a movable equipment item, and a movable structure.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of audibly or visually presenting at least one of said restricted activity information and a location of said second movable entity to said second movable entity.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of choosing said movable entity at said activity site from the class consisting of a human being, a vehicle, a movable equipment item, and a movable structure.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting said restricted activity information to a central monitoring station for said activity site.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of selecting said LD signal sources from a group of satellite-based sources consisting of GPS signal sources, GLONASS signal sources and LEO signal sources.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of selecting said LD signal sources from a group of ground-based sources consisting of Loran signal sources, Tacan signal sources, Decca signal sources and Omega signal sources.

19. Apparatus for monitoring operation of a movable entity at an activity site, the apparatus comprising:

a location determination (LD) signal module for receiving LD signals and determining the present location of the LD module using the LD signals, attached to a movable entity

a communication module for receiving restricted activity information on a restricted activity that will occur is occurring on an activity site, including at least one location at which the restricted activity will occur or is occurring; and

a computer that is programmed;

to receive the LD module present location and the restricted activity information;

to determine at least one restricted activity buffer zone that surrounds the at least one location at which the restricted activity is scheduled to occur or is occurring, where at least one of the buffer zone location and buffer zone size is allowed to vary with time;

to determine whether the LD module present location is within the at least one restricted activity buffer zone; and

when the LD module present location is within the at least one restricted activity exclusion zone, to transmit a signal indicating that the movable entity to which the LD module is attached is within the at least one restricted activity buffer zone;

wherein said computer is further programmed;

to determine a priority associated with a present activity of said movable entity, and to compare the movable entity priority with a priority associated with said restricted activity; and

to transmit a signal indicating that said movable entity should be moved to outside said buffer zone, only if the location of said movable is within said buffer zone and the movable entity priority is not greater than the restricted activity priority.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said computer is further programmed to determine said buffer zone with reference to at least one hazard associated with said restricted activity.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said restricted activity information includes at least one of:

(1) present location of said movable entity, (2) a scheduled location of said movable entity when a restricted activity is scheduled to occur, (3) physical extent of said restricted activity exclusion zone, (4) a time at which said movable entity will first become involved in the restricted activity, (5) a time after which said movable entity will no longer be involved in the restricted activity, and (6) any special precaution that should be taken during at least one time when a restricted activity occurs.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said computer is further programmed to transmit a signal indicating that said movable entity should be moved to outside said buffer zone, if the location of said movable to which said LD module is attached is within said buffer zone.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising at least one of a visually perceptible display and an audibly perceptible display for presenting at least one of said restricted activity information and a location of said movable entity.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said LD signals are received from a group of satellite-based LD signal sources consisting of GPS signal sources, GLONASS signal sources and LEO signal sources.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said LD signals are received from a group of ground-based LD signal sources consisting of Loran signal sources, Tacan signal sources, Decca signal sources and Omega signal sources.