# US 12,008,148 B2 · Safety device configuration cloning

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- Number: US 12,008,148 B2
- Document ID: US12008148B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/593,216
- Filed: 2020-02-27
- Published: 2022-06-09
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-15
- Assignees: OMRON Corporation
- Applicants: OMRON Corporation
- Inventors: Alejandro Ruiz Sanchez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12008148B2

## CPC

- G06F 21/73: by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
- H04W 4/38: for collecting sensor information
- G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication
- H04W 4/50: Service provisioning or reconfiguring
- H04W 12/06: Authentication
- H04W 12/10: Integrity
- H04W 12/65: Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

This application describes a method operable by a safety unit that comprises a safety sensor, the sensor configured to perform a safety feature based on one or more sensor parameters. The method may involve accessing a memory card, the card having stored thereon a password, a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to the sensor. The method may involve determining, based on the flag, that the parameter set is not unique to the sensor. The method may involve determining whether the password stored on the card matches a sensor password of the sensor. The method may involve, in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, writing a sensor serial number of the sensor onto the card.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system configured to facilitate safety sensor configuration, the system comprising:
an automated device comprising a safety sensor configured to perform a safety feature based on one or more sensor parameters, wherein a sensor serial number and a sensor password are linked with the safety sensor;
a removable memory card configured to be accessed by the automated device and having stored thereon a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to the automated device;
a processor coupled to the safety sensor; and
a memory storing computer-executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to determine, based on the flag, whether the parameter set is unique to the automated device or not;
when the processor determines that the parameter set is not unique to the automated device, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:
determine whether a password stored on the card matches the sensor password; and
in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, configure the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set from the card, and
when the processor determines that the parameter set is unique to the automated device, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:
determine whether information in the flag corresponds to the sensor serial number; and
in response to the information in the flag corresponding to the sensor serial number, configure the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the flag comprises a serial number field of the card.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein to determine that the information in the flag corresponds to the sensor serial number, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to determine that a serial number stored in the serial number field of the card matches the sensor serial number.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein to determine that the parameter set is not unique to the automated device, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to determine that the serial number field of the card is blank.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:
in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, write the sensor serial number into the serial number field of the card.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein to configure the safety sensor, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to update the one or more sensor parameters based on the parameter set.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein to configure the safety sensor, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to copy the parameter set from the card into the memory.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:
perform a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on at least one of the flag, the password, or the parameter set stored on the card to ensure data integrity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:
in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, delete the password stored on the card.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:
in response to the password stored on the card not matching the sensor password, stop configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set to prevent an unauthorized configuring of the safety sensor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the memory is part of the safety sensor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein:
the safety sensor comprises a safety laser scanner; and
the parameter set comprises one or more of response time, operating mode, protection boundary definition, zone switching parameters, object resolution, or input and output configuration.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the automated device comprises an automated guide vehicle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the automated device comprises a robotic arm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the safety sensor comprises one of a safety light curtain, a single-beam safety sensor, a limit switch, a stop switch, a safety relay, or a safety network controller.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the password stored on the card comprises an encrypted password.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the parameter set is shared among a fleet of devices, each device of the fleet of devices configured to receive a corresponding card having stored thereon a corresponding password and the parameter set.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:
in response to the information in the flag not corresponding to the sensor serial number, prevent configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set.

### Claim 19

A method operable by a safety sensor, the safety sensor configured to perform a safety feature based on one or more sensor parameters, the method comprising:
accessing a memory card, the card having stored thereon a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor;
determining, based on the flag, whether the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor or not;
when the parameter set is determined not to be unique to the safety sensor based on the flag, the method further comprising:
determining that a password stored on the card matches a sensor password of the safety sensor; and
in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, writing a sensor serial number of the safety sensor onto the card, and
when the parameter set is determined to be unique to the safety sensor based on the flag, the method further comprising:
determining that information in the flag corresponds to a sensor serial number of the safety sensor; and
in response to the information in the flag corresponding to the sensor serial number, configuring the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein:
the flag comprises a serial number field; and
determining that the parameter set is not unique to the safety sensor comprises determining that the serial number field is blank.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein writing the sensor serial number onto the card comprises overwriting the serial number field with the sensor serial number.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, configuring the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, deleting the password stored on the card.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
in response to the password stored on the card not matching the sensor password, preventing configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the flag comprises a serial number field of the card.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein determining that the information in the flag corresponds to the sensor serial number comprises determining that a serial number stored in a serial number field of the card matches the sensor serial number.

### Claim 27 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
in response to the information in the flag not corresponding to the sensor serial number, preventing configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set.

### Claim 28

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause at least one computing device to:
access a memory card, the card having stored thereon a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to a safety sensor;
determine, based on the flag, whether the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor or not;
when the at least one computing device determines that the parameter set is not unique to the safety sensor, execution of the instructions further causes the at least one computing device to:
determine whether a password stored on the card matches a sensor password of the safety sensor; and
in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, write a sensor serial number of the safety sensor onto the card, and
when the at least one computing device determines that the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor, the execution of the instructions further causes the at least one computing device to:
determine whether information in the flag corresponds to a sensor serial number of the safety sensor; and
in response to the information in the flag corresponding to the sensor serial number, configure the safety sensor to perform a safety feature based on the parameter set.
