System for detecting an entity in the vicinity of a drilling machine, and corresponding method

A system for detecting an entity in a detection area adjacent a drilling machine, the detection area being divided into a plurality of subzones, each of said plurality of subzones being associated with a corresponding safety level, the system comprising:

• a detecting device optically covering the detection area and operable to capture the entity within the detection area;
• a controlling device, operatively connected with the detecting device, the controlling device being configured to:
• set up the system into a detection mode corresponding to the division of the detection area into the plurality of subzones with the corresponding associated safety levels;
• determine a position of the entity captured by the detecting device within at least one of the plurality of subzones of the detection area;
• and
• trigger at least one action signal based on the safety level of the subzone corresponding to the determined position of the entity;
• and
• an authorized presence detection assembly configured to detect an authorized action realized by the entity in the vicinity of the drilling machine and operatively coupled to the controlling device;
• wherein the controlling device is further configured to set up the system into an intervention mode different from the detection mode, when the authorized action is detected by the authorized presence detection assembly;
• and
• wherein the intervention mode corresponds to an intervention division of the detection area into a plurality of subzones different from the division of the detection area in the detection mode.

A method for detecting an entity in a detection area surrounding at least partially a drilling machine, the detection area being divided into a plurality of subzones, each of said plurality of subzones being associated with a corresponding safety level, the method comprising:

• setting up the system into a detection mode corresponding to the division of the detection area into the plurality of subzones with the corresponding associated safety levels;
• optically covering the detection area via at least one optical scanner;
• capturing by the at least one optical scanner the entity within the detection area;
• determining a position of the entity within at least one of the plurality of subzones of the detection area;
• and
• triggering at least one action signal based on the safety level of the subzone in which the entity is detected;
• detecting an authorized action realized by the entity in the vicinity of the drilling machine with an authorized presence detection assembly;
• and
• setting up the system into an intervention mode different from the detection mode when the authorized action is detected by the authorized presence detection assembly, wherein the intervention mode corresponds to an intervention division of the detection area divided into a plurality of subzones different from the plurality of subzones of the division of the detection area in the detection mode.