RFID/biometric area protection

• US 7,932,809 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Nair, Suresh, Schuster, George K., Delcher, Ray C., Jones, Derek W., Galera, Richard, Dogul, James E., Rollins, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherwin; Ryan W
• Application Number:
  US11/360,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20070205861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 3405731-5737, 340 52- 774, 700/11, 700/95, 700/12, 700/13, 700/17, 700/18, 83 58- 68, 83/76, 304/19, 235/375, 235/376
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/144 using light grids
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/147 using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/081 With randomly actuated stopping means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/159 Including means to compensate tool speed for work-feed variations

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates providing a safety mechanism associated with a protective zone in an industrial automation environment. An radio frequency identification (RFID) component can receive data from an RFID tag to identify a location. A safety component can employ a safe mode to a device based at least in part upon the location to employ a protected zone in proximity with the device.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates providing a safety mechanism, comprising:

an radio frequency identification (RFID) component that receives data from an RFID tag identifying a location of the RFID tag and an access level associated with the RFID tag; and

a safety component that initiates a safe mode in an industrial device based at least in part upon the access level and a proximity of the RFID tag to the industrial device as determined by the location, wherein the safe mode comprises a slowed operation mode wherein the device operates at a slower speed in comparison with normal operating speed if the access level allows access to the industrial device, and the safe mode comprises a stopped state if the access level denies access to the industrial device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID component is at least one of an RFID reader, an RFID writer, or an RFID reader/writer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the industrial device is at least one of the following:

a blade;

a door;

a robot;

a machine;

a roller;

a welder;

a laser;

a scanner;

a belt conveyor;

a pump;

a press;

a fan;

a fly-wheel;

or a movable machine part.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is a passive ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID tag.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the RFID tag is associated with at least one of a badge, a pass, an identification card, an access pass, a keycard, a nametag, or a driver'"'"'s license.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the RFID tag includes biometric data that is at least one of an inductance, retina data, iris data, a facial pattern, a hand measurement, a fingerprint, or a voice pattern.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller that controls the industrial device based at least in part upon the safe mode implemented.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller directly controls the industrial device based at least in part upon the data received from the RFID tag.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the safety component initiates the safe mode upon determining that the RFID tag is within a pre-defined distance from the industrial device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the pre-defined distance is automatically defined based on a location of the industrial device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the safety component manipulates an industrial automation process associated with the industrial device based at least in part upon the data received from the RFID tag.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor utilized in conjunction with the RFID tag that provides a signal initiating transmission of the data from the RFID tag upon detecting an entry into a protected zone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is at least one of an optical sensor, a motion sensor, a safety mat, an area scanner, or a light curtain.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is associated with at least one of the RFID component, the safety component, or the industrial device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag reads biometric parameters associated with an individual using the RFID tag.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a verify component that utilizes the biometric parameters read by the RFID tag and verifies that the RFID tag is being used by a correct individual.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a track component that tracks the RFID tag.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising an intelligent component that employs a probabilistic or statistical-based analysis to infer at least one of an access, a denial, or the safety mode to be initiated by the safety component.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag includes at least one of a tag identification, user data, extended data, user defined data, reader identification, security data, location data, biometric data, access data, personal data, or automation environment data.

29. The system of claim 12, wherein the safety component places the industrial device into a stopped state if no RFID tag is detected by the sensor after the entry is detected.

20. A method that facilitates invoking a safety mechanism within an industrial automation environment, comprising:

receiving a signal at a radio frequency identification (RFID) component from an RFID tag;

decoding and translating the signal to yield location information and access level information;

ascertaining from the location information a location associated with the RFID tag; and

if the location is determined to be within a predetermined distance from an industrial device associated with the safety mechanism;

initiating a slowed operation mode in the industrial device wherein the industrial device operates at a slower speed in comparison with normal operating speed if the access level information allows access to the industrial device; and

initiating a stopped state in the industrial device if the access level information denies access to the industrial device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

reading biometric parameters associated with an entity utilizing the RFID tag; and

verifying that the entity utilizing the RFID tag is correctly associated with the RFID tag using the biometric parameters.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

initiating transmission of the signal from the RFID tag in response to an input from a sensor that detects a proximity to the industrial device; and

placing the industrial device in a stopped state if no RFID tag is detected after detecting the proximity to the industrial device.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising tracking the RFID tag within the industrial automation environment.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

utilizing biometric data stored within the RFID tag to determine an allowed level of access; and

manipulating an industrial automation process related to the industrial device based on the allowed level of access.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the information at at least one of an RFID reader, an RFID writer, or an RFID reader/writer.

26. The method of claim 20, the device is at least one the following:

a blade;

a door;

a robot;

a machine;

a roller;

a scanner;

a belt conveyor;

a pump;

a press;

a fan;

a fly-wheel;

or a movable machine part.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the receiving the signal comprises receiving the signal from a passive ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID tag.

28. A system that facilitates implementing a safety zone to provide a safety mechanism within an industrial automation environment, comprising:

means for receiving data from an RFID tag;

means for identifying a location associated with the RFID tag based on the data;

means for determining an access level associated with the RFID tag based on the data;

means for initiating a slowed operation mode in an industrial device wherein the industrial device operates at a slower speed in comparison with normal operating speed if the access level indicates that access to the industrial device is allowed; and

means for initiating a stopped state in the industrial device if the access level indicates that access to the industrial device is denied.