# US 10,769,955 B2 · Proximity detection system and method and collision avoidance system and method using proximity detection

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- Number: US 10,769,955 B2
- Document ID: US10769955B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/595,869
- Filed: 2019-10-08
- Published: 2020-04-09
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2007-10-25
- Assignees: Strata Safety Products, LLC
- Applicants: Strata Safety Products, LLC
- Inventors: Larry D. Frederick; Paul Hammond
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769955B2

## CPC

- G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes}
- B60Q 9/008: {for anti-collision purposes}
- F16P 3/14: the means being photocells or other devices sensitive without mechanical contact
- F16P 3/145: {using magnetic technology}
- F16P 3/147: {using electro-magnetic technology, e.g. tags or radar}
- G08B 3/10: using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
- G08B 21/0213: {System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded (disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409)}
- G08B 21/0275: {Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID}
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- F16P: SAFETY DEVICES IN GENERAL; {SAFETY DEVICES FOR PRESSES}
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

The invention relates to a complex proximity safety and warning system. The invention provides a safety system comprising a generator that generates a magnetic field that establishes a boundary, where the generator is capable of receiving radio frequency signals. Also provided is a radio frequency device that sends radio frequency signals, the radio frequency device being capable of sensing the magnetic field and generating a radio frequency response.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a hazardous machine;
a magnetic field generator positioned at the hazardous machine adapted to generate a magnetic field;
a worker alarm device configured to sense the magnetic field and generate a response signal;
a hazardous machine alarm device associated with the magnetic field generator and adapted to receive the response signal;
a switch on the worker alarm device that when triggered causes the worker alarm device to transmit a request from the worker alarm device to the magnetic field generator to designate the worker alarm device as an operator of the hazardous machine;
wherein the worker alarm device is adapted to generate a worker alarm if it detects the strength of the magnetic field is above a predetermined threshold strength and the worker alarm device is not designated an operator of the hazardous machine and the worker alarm device is adapted to not generate an alarm if the worker alarm device is designated an operator of the hazardous machine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the request includes an identification of the worker alarm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the hazardous machine alarm device is adapted to generate a vehicle alarm if it receives the response signal from the worker alarm device and the worker alarm device is not designated an operator of the hazardous machine and the hazardous machine alarm device is adapted to not generate a vehicle alarm if it receives the response signal from the worker alarm device and the worker alarm device is designated an operator of the hazardous machine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the switch is a button.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the magnetic field generator is adapted to signal the worker alarm device that it has been designated an operator of the hazardous machine by sending a pulse to the worker alarm while the button is depressed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the hazardous machine is adapted to designate a single operator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the worker alarm device, if designated an operator of the hazardous machine, is adapted to periodically transmit the identification to the hazardous machine alarm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the wherein the worker alarm is adapted to transmit the identification to the hazardous machine alarm about every 10 seconds.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the hazardous machine alarm is adapted such that as long the worker alarm identification is a received by the hazardous machine alarm, another worker alarm cannot become the designated operator of the vehicle.

### Claim 10

A method of collision avoidance, the method comprising
generating a magnetic field by a magnetic field generator associated with a hazardous machine;
generating a response signal from a worker alarm;
pressing a switch on the worker alarm device;
transmitting a request from the worker alarm device to the magnetic field generator to designate the worker alarm device as an operator of the hazardous machine;
designating the worker alarm device as an operator of the hazardous machine; and
generating a worker alarm if the worker alarm device detects the strength of the magnetic field is above a predetermined threshold strength and the worker alarm device is not designated an operator of the hazardous machine and not generating a worker alarm if the worker alarm device is designated an operator of the hazardous machine;
silencing the worker alarm if the response signal is from the designated worker alarm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the step of silencing the worker alarm is completed automatically.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the request includes an identification of the worker alarm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the response signal by a hazardous machine alarm device associated with the magnetic field generator and generating a hazardous vehicle alarm if the response signal indicates that the strength of the magnetic field at the worker alarm is above a predetermined threshold and the worker alarm device is not designated an operator of the hazardous machine and not generating the hazardous machine alarm device if the worker alarm device is designated an operator of the hazardous machine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the switch is a button.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising sending a pulse to the worker alarm device to the worker alarm device that is has been designated an operator of the hazardous machine while the button is depressed.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the hazardous machine is adapted to designate a single operator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The UE according to claim 12, wherein the UE comprises a transmitter configured to send the query, and a receiver configured to receive the response.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The UE according to claim 12, wherein the UE comprises a transceiver configured to send the query and receive the response.