US 11,507,048 B2Granted

Detector and reflector for automation cell safety and identification

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsKwok Tung Chan, Tanni Sisco, Mark Albrecht

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for a detector and reflector for automation cell safety and identification are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a method for machinery safety comprises transmitting, by an active transponder, at least one interrogation signal. The method further comprises receiving, by at least one passive transponder located on a user or on an item, the interrogation signal(s). Also, the method comprises generating, by a non-linear device of the passive transponder(s) in response to the interrogation signal(s), at least one response signal. In addition, the method comprises receiving, by the active transponder, the response signal(s). Additionally, the method comprises determining, by at least one processor, a location of the passive transponder(s) based on the response signal(s). Further, the method comprises determining, by the processor(s), whether the passive transponder(s) is located within a threshold distance away from machinery by using the location of the passive transponder(s).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for machinery safety, the method comprising:

transmitting, by an active transponder, at least one interrogation signal;
receiving, by at least one passive transponder located one of on a user or on an item, the at least one interrogation signal;
generating, by a non-linear device of the at least one passive transponder in response to the at least one interrogation signal, at least one response signal;
receiving, by the active transponder, the at least one response signal;
translating the active transponder through a first axis of rotation to transmit the at least one interrogation signal and to receive the at least one response signal over an area of interest;
translating the active transponder through a second axis of rotation to transmit the at least one interrogation signal and receive the at least one response signal over the area of interest:
determining, by at least one processor, a location of the at least one passive transponder based on the at least one response signal;
and
determining, by the at least one processor, whether the at least one passive transponder is located within a threshold distance away from machinery by using the location of the at least one passive transponder.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/716,154Filed 16 Dec 2019
Published: US 2021/0181708 A117 Jun 2021
Granted: 22 Nov 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B25J 9/1674
Program controls: characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
G05B 19/4061
Characterised by monitoring or safety: avoiding collision or forbidden zones
G05B 19/406
Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to…
G08B 21/185
Status alarms: electrical failure alarms