Radio-enabled collision avoidance system

• US 9,342,989 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Brommer, Karl D., Anderson, Sterling J., Brommer, Dieter B., Iagnemma, Karl D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US13/932,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/75 using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders , or using passive reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 9/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

In the method of reducing the likelihood of collisions, the improvement comprising the step of embedding passive radio transponders in a tape, grease, or other materials; applying said passive radio transponders to an object of which collisions must be avoided, and mounting an active interrogating transponder on a moving machinery, which uses the information provided by the radio transponders to semi-autonomously avoid collisions.

Claims

1. A system for avoiding collisions between an object and one or more parts of a moving machinery, the system comprising:

a material attached to the object, wherein the material is embedded with one or more passive radio transponders;

wherein the one or more passive radio transponders passively modulate the received radio frequency pulses; and

wherein the one or more passive radio transponders send return signals having a frequency different from that of the received radio frequency pulses;

one or more active interrogating transponders mounted on the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the one or more active interrogating transponders transmit wideband radio frequency pulses and receive multiple return signals from each of the one or more passive radio transponders and integrating multiple return signals by a single active interrogating transponder upon receiving multiple return signals corresponding to a particular passive radio transponder; and

a semi-autonomous controller coupled to the moving machinery and configured for semi-autonomously controlling the movement of the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery based on the distance between the object and the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the distance between the object and the moving machinery is based on time delay in correlating the radio frequency pulses with the return signals.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving machinery is either a forklift, or an excavator, or a crane, or a medical instrument, or an industrial manipulator.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object is either a house, or a warehouse shelving, or a gas piping, or an organ, or an inventory rack.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of tape, grease, and paint.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more passive radio transponders are spaced at regular intervals.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active interrogating transponder is powered by a battery.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more passive radio transponders contain a battery.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the one or more passive radio transponders transmit bursts in response to the received radio frequency pulses.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more passive radio transponders do not contain a battery.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active interrogating transponder is a pulse modulated radar.

11. A system for avoiding collisions between an object and one or more parts of a moving machinery, the system comprising:

a material attached to the object, wherein the material is embedded with one or more passive radio transponders;

wherein at least one of the passive radio transponders is a pair of crossed wire dipoles;

one or more active interrogating transponders mounted on the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the one or more active interrogating transponders transmit wideband radio frequency pulses and receive multiple return signals from each of the one or more passive radio transponders and integrating multiple return signals by a single active interrogating transponder upon receiving multiple return signals corresponding to a particular passive radio transponder; and

a semi-autonomous controller coupled to the moving machinery and configured for semi-autonomously controlling the movement of the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery based on the distance between the object and the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the distance between the object and the moving machinery is based on time delay in correlating the radio frequency pulses with the return signals.

12. A system for avoiding collisions between an object and one or more parts of a moving machinery, the system comprising:

a material attached to the object, wherein the material is embedded with one or more passive radio transponders;

one or more active interrogating transponders mounted on the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the one or more active interrogating transponders transmit wideband radio frequency pulses and receive multiple return signals from each of the one or more passive radio transponders and integrating multiple return signals by a single active interrogating transponder upon receiving multiple return signals corresponding to a particular passive radio transponder; and

a semi-autonomous controller coupled to the moving machinery and configured for semi-autonomously controlling the movement of the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery based on the distance between the object and the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the distance between the object and the moving machinery is based on time delay in correlating the radio frequency pulses with the return signals;

wherein the semi-autonomous controller ensures that the moving machinery remains stable during operation.

13. A system for avoiding collisions between an object and one or more parts of a moving machinery, the system comprising:

a material attached to the object, wherein the material is embedded with one or more passive radio transponders;

one or more active interrogating transponders mounted on the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the one or more active interrogating transponders transmit wideband radio frequency pulses and receive multiple return signals from each of the one or more passive radio transponders and integrating multiple return signals by a single active interrogating transponder upon receiving multiple return signals corresponding to a particular passive radio transponder; and

a semi-autonomous controller coupled to the moving machinery and configured for semi-autonomously controlling the movement of the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery based on the distance between the object and the moving machinery or the one or more parts of the moving machinery, wherein the distance between the object and the moving machinery is based on time delay in correlating the radio frequency pulses with the return signals;

wherein the moving machinery comprises;

a set of antennas covering the extremities of the moving machinery;

a set of transceivers, wherein each transceiver of the set of transceivers is connected to each antenna of the set of antennas and each transceiver broadcasts an orthogonal pulse either on a separate frequency, or time slot or code;

a set of digital processors, wherein each digital processor of the set of digital processors is connected to a transceiver of the set of transceivers that detects return pulses and determines time delays, thereby determining distance between the moving machine and the object; and

a collision avoidance unit connected to the set of digital processors, wherein the collision avoidance unit is configured for controlling the moving machinery for avoiding collision with the object based on the distance between the moving machine and the object.