# US 2019/0378264 A1 · Method of Securing a Hazard Zone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0378264 A1 - Document ID: US20190378264A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/420,703 - Filed: 2019-05-23 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-07 - Assignees: Sick AG - Applicants: Sick AG - Inventors: Ingolf BRAUNE; Armin HORNUNG; Matthias NEUBAUER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378264A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/1676: {Avoiding collision or forbidden zones} - G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection} - G05B 19/048: Monitoring; Safety - G05B 19/4061: Avoiding collision or forbidden zones - G06T 7/593: from stereo images - G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) - H04N 13/207: using a single two-dimensional [2D] image sensor - G05B 2219/24024: Safety, surveillance - G05B 2219/37631: Means detecting object in forbidden zone - G06T 2207/10012: Stereo images - G06T 2207/10028: Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds - G06T 2207/30232: Surveillance - G06V 2201/06: Recognition of objects for industrial automation - H04N 13/243: using three or more two-dimensional [2D] image sensors - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method of securing at least one hazard zone comprising a hazardous machine is provided, wherein objects are detected in an environment of the hazard zone from measured data of at least one 3D sensor, and wherein a safety directed reaction of the machine takes place on an impending danger. A switch is made to at least one new hazard zone to be activated during the operation of the machine and a check is made whether the new hazard zone to be secured is free of objects. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of securing at least one hazard zone of a hazardous machine, wherein objects are detected in an environment of the hazard zone from measured data of at least one 3D sensor, and wherein a safety directed reaction of the machine takes place on an impending danger, wherein a switchover is made to at least one new hazard zone to be secured during the operation of the machine and a check is made whether the new hazard zone to be secured is free of objects. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the 3D sensor determines the shortest distance between the hazard zone and objects and outputs the shortest distance to a control, the control deciding whether a safety directed reaction of the machine takes place with reference to the shortest distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one previous hazard zone to be secured is deactivated on the switchover. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein objects in the hazard zone itself are ignored on the detection of objects by the 3D sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein objects in a projective masked region of the hazard zone from a central perspective of the 3D sensor are also ignored. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the check whether the new hazard zone to be secured is free of objects does not extend to an overlap region with previously secured hazard zones. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the check whether the new hazard zone to be secured is free from objects includes a safety buffer around the new hazard zone to be secured, the safety buffer being determined from a required switchover time and a maximally adopted object speed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two configuration sets of hazard zones are specified for worksteps of the machine and a switchover is made one after the other to the hazard zones of the associated configuration set for the respective next workstep to be carried out. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein an activation request is first made on the 3D sensor for the switching over of hazard zones, the 3D sensor then checking whether the new hazard zones to be secured is free of objects and reporting this back, whereupon the switchover only takes place with a free new hazard zone to be secured. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein an alternative next workstep of the machine with other hazard zones to be secured follows if the new hazard zone to be secured is not free of objects. ### Claim 11 A 3D sensor for monitoring an environment of at least one hazard zone comprising a hazardous machine, wherein the 3D sensor has at least one image sensor for detecting three-dimensional image data and a control and evaluation unit that is configured to detect objects in the environment with reference to the three-dimensional image data, wherein at least two configuration sets of hazard zones are stored in a memory of the 3D sensor and the control and evaluation unit is configured to switch over between the hazard zones and for this purpose to check whether a new hazard zone to be secured is free of objects. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The 3D sensor in accordance with claim 11, wherein the control and evaluation unit is configured to check in response to a switchover demand whether a new hazard zone to be secured is free of objects and thereupon to generate a feedback whether the switchover is currently possible.