Radio frequency identifier apparatus for access control and user identification

A component comprising:

• a machine safety module configured to:
• send a first safety instruction to a machine in response to, within an entry window of time:
• receiving, from a barrier access module, an open alert that a movable barrier is in an open state, the movable barrier at an entry point of an enclosure protecting personnel from the machine;
• receiving, from an identification module, tag information from a reader at the movable barrier, the tag information from an identification of a person;
• and
• confirming, via an identity module, that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure;
• and
• send a second safety instruction to the machine in response to, within the entry window of time:
• receiving the open alert, from the barrier access module;
• and
• without one of receiving tag information or the confirming that the tag information belongs to an authorized person currently authorized to enter the enclosure,
• wherein the first safety instruction differs from the second safety instruction and wherein the first safety instruction is less restrictive than the second safety instruction in terms of actions to prevent injury, and
• wherein at least a portion of the barrier access module, the identification module, the identity module, and the machine safety module comprise one or more of hardware circuits, a programmable hardware device and program code, the program code stored on one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media.

A component comprising:

• a first radio frequency identification (“RFID”) sensing device mounted at an entry point of an enclosure, the enclosure limiting access to a machine of an industrial operation, the RFID sensing device comprising:
• a first RFID sensor configured to read a first RFID tag in close proximity to the first RFID sensor indicating a closed status of a movable barrier at the entry point, wherein opening of the movable barrier allows entry to the enclosure;
• a barrier access module configured to send an open alert that the movable barrier is in an open state in response to the first RFID tag not being close enough to the first RFID sensor to read the first RFID tag;
• a second RFID sensor configured to read a second RFID tag of an authorized person;
• and
• an identification module configured to send tag information from the second RFID tag, wherein the tag information is unique to the authorized person;
• and
• a machine safety module configured to receive the open alert and provide a plurality of different safety instructions depending on whether the open alert is associated with an authorized person as determined using information from the second RFID sensor in response to receiving the open alert,
• wherein at least a portion of the barrier access module and the identification module comprise one or more of hardware circuits, a programmable hardware device and program code, the program code stored on one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media.