Device, system and method for reducing physical impacts

• US 9,840,865 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloud Network Technology Singapore Pte. Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hou-Hsien, Lee, Chang-Jung, Lo, Chih-Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Connolly, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/812,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20170002593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/71 responsive to temperature changes, rain, wind or noise
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 5/02 specially for preventing the slamming of swinging wings during final closing movement, e.g. jamb stops
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/36 Speed control, detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/44 Sensors therefore E05Y2400/322, E05Y2400/33, E05Y2400/55, E05Y2400/56, E05Y2400/852 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/532 Emergency braking
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/56 by using speed sensors sensors for electronic control of hinges, wings, windows as such E05Y2400/44
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/86 by hand
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/132 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/148 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/894 3D imaging with simultaneous measurement of time-of-flight at a 2D array of receiver pixels, e.g. time-of-flight cameras or flash lidar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/93 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

An impact reducing device applied to a door or window which is closing includes a depth-sensing camera, an impact reducing system, and an impact reducing unit. The depth-sensing camera captures images of a target constantly, and obtains Z depth information of the target. The impact reducing system determines whether the target is going to close according to the Z depth information and controls the impact reducing unit to provide a resistance such as a strong jet of air when the target is going to close, to reduce violent impacts.

Claims

1. An impact reducing device, comprising a depth-sensing camera, an impact reducing system, and an impact reducing unit, each of which connects to each other using data buses;

wherein the depth-sensing camera is configured to capture images of a target and obtain Z depth information of the target;

the impact reducing system is configured to determine whether the target is within a predetermined distance to a predetermined location according to the Z depth information, and configured to control the impact reducing unit to provide a resistance in event the target is within the predetermined distance, thereby reducing any impact generated by contact with the target; and

a touch sensor installed on the target, wherein the touch sensor is used to detect a touch of a user to determine whether the close of the target is intended by the user.

2. The impact reducing device according to claim 1, wherein the impact reducing unit comprises a valve and a resistance component, and the resistance component is an airstream injection component.

3. The impact reducing device according to claim 2, further comprising an actuator which is used to actuate the impact reducing unit to open the valve, and enable the resistance component to inject airstream.

4. The impact reducing device according to claim 1, wherein the depth-sensing camera is a time-of-flight camera (TOF camera).

5. The impact reducing device according to claim 1, wherein the target is a door or a window.

6. An impact reducing method, comprising:

obtaining Z depth information of a target from a depth-sensing camera;

analyzing whether the target is within a predetermined distance to a predetermined location according to the Z depth information;

controlling an impact reducing unit to provide a resistance in event the target is within the predetermined distance, thereby reducing any impact generated by contact with the target; and

providing a parameter setting interface to receive parameters set by a user, wherein the parameters comprise speed parameters and distance parameters, the speed parameters comprises an enable speed and a disable speed and the distance parameters comprises an enable distance and a disable distance, the enable speed and the enable distance are conditions of actuating the impact reducing unit, and the disable speed and the disable distance are conditions of stopping the impact reducing unit.

7. The impact reducing method according to claim 6, wherein the impact reducing unit comprises an airstream injection component to inject airstream.

8. The impact reducing method according to claim 6, wherein analyzing whether the target is going to close is by determining that whether the Z depth information of the target is decreased with the pass of time.

9. The impact reducing method according to claim 6, wherein analyzing whether the target is going to close further comprises:

analyzing whether a distance between the target and a predetermined location is less than the enable distance or a movement speed of the target is greater than the enable speed; and

controlling the impact reducing unit to provide a resistance when the distance between the target and the predetermined location is less than the enable distance or the movement speed of the target is greater than the enable speed.

10. The impact reducing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

Stopping working of the impact reducing unit when the distance between the target and the predetermined location is greater than the enable distance and the movement speed of the target is less than the enable speed.

11. The impact reducing method according to claim 10, wherein the target is a door and the predetermined location is a door frame.

12. The impact reducing method according to claim 6, wherein the parameters further comprise resistance levels corresponding to movement speeds of the target.

13. The interactive communication method according to claim 12, wherein controlling an impact reducing unit to provide a resistance according to the movement speeds of the target.

14. The interactive communication method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether a touch signal is received to determine whether to control the impact reducing unit to provide a resistance.

15. The interactive communication method according to claim 14, wherein the touch signal is transmitted from a touch sensor installed on the target.