Recognition-based industrial automation control with position and derivative decision reference

• US 9,804,576 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Darrin
• Application Number:
  US13/779,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• 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 or motions of an element in an industrial automation system;

generating a function that represents the positions or motions over a period of time;

determining at least one derivative value of the function;

determining a possible automation command corresponding, to the detected positions or motions and the at least one derivative value, wherein the possible automation command is configured to control a first operation of a first industrial automation device in the industrial automation system, and wherein determining the possible automation command comprises;

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 the range of expected derivative values, wherein the range of expected derivative values is determined based on the positions or motions of the element monitored over time;

determining an importance factor that corresponds to the possible automation command based on the positions or motions and the at least one derivative value, wherein the importance factor quantifies a timing for implementing the possible automation command;

implementing a control or notification action based upon the determined possible automation command and the importance factor; and

implementing an additional control action configured to adjust a second operation of a second industrial automation device in the industrial automation system when the importance factor is greater than a threshold.

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 or notification action comprises increasing a speed of the first industrial automation device, decreasing the speed of the first industrial automation device, or stopping the first 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, 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.

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

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

detecting, via a sensor system, positions of a human in an industrial automation system, wherein the positions correspond to one or more distances between the human and one or more components of the industrial automation system;

generating a position function that represents the positions over a period of time with respect to one or more components of the industrial automation system;

determining at least one derivative value based on the position function;

determining a possible automation command and an undesirable condition based upon the at least one derivative value, wherein determining the possible automation command comprises determining whether the at least one derivative value is within a range of expected derivative values;

modifying the possible automation command when the at least one derivative value is not within the range of expected derivative values, wherein the range of expected derivative values is determined based on the positions of the human;

determining an importance factor that corresponds to the possible automation command based on the positions and the at least one derivative value, wherein the importance factor quantifies a timing for implementing the possible automation command; and

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

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the undesired condition comprises a human falling, becoming immobile, or becoming incapacitated.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the undesired condition comprises presence of an undesired or unknown person.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the undesired condition comprises a machine component entering into a space.

13. The method of claim 9, 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 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.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the automation command is configured to move the machine, the industrial automation device, or any combination thereof away from the human.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the automation command is configured to stop an operation of the machine, the industrial automation device, or any combination thereof.

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

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

a processing system configured to;

interpret the detected positions or motions;

identify a possible automation command based on the interpreted positions or motions, wherein the possible automation command is identified by determining whether at least one derivative value of the detected positions or motions is within a range of expected derivative values;

determine undesirable conditions based on the at least one derivative value of the detected positions or motions;

receive an automation system signal from at least one additional control component configured to detect a presence of a human in a predetermined position, wherein the automation system signal is associated with the possible automation command, wherein the automation system signal is used to confirm that the possible automation command is to be implemented when the human is present at the pre-determined position, and wherein the pre-determined position is associated with implementing the possible automation command; and

implement a control action associated with the identified possible automation command and the undesired conditions only when the received automation system signal indicates that the human is present at the pre-determined position.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing system comprises a memory configured to store a plurality of possible automation commands and a plurality of positions or motions that corresponds to the plurality of possible automation commands.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing system is configured to:

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

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

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing system is configured to:

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

modify the identified automation command based on the importance factor.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing system is configured to interpret the detected positions or motions by determining at least one derivative value of the detected positions or motions.