System and method for doppler radar monitoring of restricted areas below bucket trucks, lineworkers on power distribution poles or other elevated loads

• US 9,170,326 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cs, Adishesha, Vitucci, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Hee-Yong
• Application Number:
  US13/843,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 348/77
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/34 using transmission of continuous, frequency-modulated waves while heterodyning the received signal, or a signal derived therefrom, with a locally-generated signal related to the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

A method and system (10) are provided for monitoring a restricted area (12) below a temporarily elevated worker (14) working on an elevated power transmission line (16). The method and system (10) utilize a Doppler radar module (40) that is temporarily elevated to a location (32) adjacent the worker (14) and that is configured to detect the presence of personnel (34) who enter the restricted area (12). The system (10) is configured to automatically alert personnel (34) at the worksite (17) who enter the restricted area (12) in response to detection of the personnel (34) by the Doppler radar module (40).

Claims

1. A method for monitoring restricted areas below a temporarily elevated worker, the method comprising the steps of:

elevating a Doppler radar module to an elevated location adjacent a worker that is temporarily positioned above ground level;

enabling the Doppler radar module to detect the presence of other personnel who enter a ground level restricted area below the Doppler radar module and the worker;

automatically alerting personnel who enter the restricted area in response to detection of the personnel by the Doppler radar module;

lowering the Doppler radar module from the elevated location in response to the worker returning to ground level;

disabling the Doppler radar module; and

wherein the enabling step comprises automatically adjusting a size of the restricted area in response to changes in height of the elevated location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the enabling step comprises determining a Doppler effect in response to a radio frequency signal being reflected off of a person in the restricted area.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising moving the Doppler radar module with the worker in response to changes in the position of the worker.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of attaching the Doppler radar module to a lift platform that alters the position of the worker above ground level.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of temporarily attaching the Doppler radar module to a pole structure that is ascended by the worker.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of attaching the Doppler radar module to a lift platform that alters the position of the worker above ground level.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the enabling step comprises calibrating the Doppler radar module based on a radar return signal from the background terrain within the restricted area.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of automatically calibrating the Doppler radar module with the background terrain in response to a change in the elevated location.

9. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of detecting the presence or absence of personnel in the restricted area in response to a change in a radar return signal.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of wirelessly transmitting a data signal representative of a received Doppler radar signal from the Doppler radar module to a controller and processing the data signal in the controller to determine the presence or absence of personnel in the restricted area.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising the step of wirelessly transmitting an alert signal from the controller to at least one wireless receiver configured to receive the alert signal and generate an alarm to a person carrying the wireless receiver.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of converting an intermittent frequency signal generated by the Doppler radar module to In-phase &

Quadrature channel data.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of converting the intermittent frequency signal to a digital bit stream.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of generating an alert signal based upon a statistical average of data derived from multiple consecutive return radar signals received by the Doppler radar module.

15. A system for monitoring restricted areas below a temporarily elevated worker, the system comprising:

a Doppler radar module configured to detect the presence of personnel who enter a ground level, restricted area below the Doppler radar module when the Doppler radar module is elevated to an elevated location adjacent a temporarily elevated worker; and

a programmable processor configured to automatically adjust the predetermined size of the restricted area in response to changes in height of the elevated location.

16. A system for monitoring restricted areas below a temporarily elevated worker, the system comprising:

a Doppler radar module configured to detect the presence of personnel who enter a ground level, restricted area below the Doppler radar module when the Doppler radar module is elevated to an elevated location adjacent a temporarily elevated worker, the Doppler radar module being further configured to wirelessly transmit a data bit stream representative of a return radar signal received by the Doppler radar module.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a controller configured to receive the data bit stream from the Doppler radar module and to determine the presence of personnel who enter the ground level, restricted area based upon an automatic analysis of the data bit stream; and

a plurality of receivers configured to receive a wireless alert signal from the controller and to activate an alarm to notify personnel carrying the wireless receivers of the presence of a person in the ground level, restricted area.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the Doppler radar module is further configured to generate an intermittent frequency signal representative of a radar signal received by the Doppler radar module, to convert the intermittent frequency signal to In-Phase &

Quadrature channel data, and to further convert the In-Phase and Quadrature channel data to a data bit stream for wireless transmission.