Area isolation system

A method for autonomously operating a plurality of machines in a worksite including an area isolation system (AIS), the AIS including an AIS controller, a plurality of a barriers each surrounding at least one work area, a barrier control panel (BCP) associated with each barrier, each BCP including a BCP controller in communication with a BCP short-range transceiver and the AIS controller, and a remote shutdown module (RSM) disposed on each machine, each RSM including an RSM controller in communication with an RSM short-range transceiver, and an RSM unique identifier preprogrammed into a memory associated with the RSM controller, the method comprising:

• moving a first machine of the plurality of machines towards a first barrier of the plurality of barriers;
• communicating, via radio frequency, the RSM unique identifier from the RSM of the first machine to the BCP associated with the first barrier, using the RSM short-range transceiver of the first machine and the BCP short-range transceiver of the first barrier, when a machine radio zone associated with the RSM short-range transceiver intercepts with a BCP radio zone associated with the BCP short-range transceiver;
• and
• identifying the first machine based on the RSM unique identifier, the moving, communicating, and identifying being performed by the AIS.

A method for autonomously operating a plurality of machines in a worksite including an area isolation system (AIS), the AIS including an AIS controller, a plurality of barriers each surrounding a work area, a barrier control panel (BCP) associated with each barrier, each BCP including a BCP controller in communication with a BCP short-range transceiver and the AIS controller, a BCP unique identifier preprogrammed into a memory associated with the BCP controller, at least one barrier sensor disposed proximate each barrier and operatively connected to the BCP, the at least one barrier sensor configured to detect an incursion of the barrier, and a remote shutdown module (RSM) disposed on each machine, the RSM including an RSM controller in communication with an RSM short-range transceiver and the AIS controller, and an RSM unique identifier preprogrammed into a memory associated with the RSM controller, the method comprising:

• moving a first machine of the plurality of machines towards a first barrier of the plurality of barriers, the moving being performed by the AIS controller;
• detecting a first incursion of the first barrier, the detecting being performed by the at least one barrier sensor disposed proximate the first barrier;
• communicating, via radio frequency, the RSM unique identifier from the RSM of the first machine to the BCP associated with the first barrier when a machine radio zone associated with the RSM short-range transceiver intercepts with a BCP radio zone associated with the BCP short-range transceiver, the communicating being performed by the RSM short-range transceiver of the first machine and the BCP short-range transceiver of the first barrier;
• sending signals indicative of the RSM unique identifier of the first machine and the BCP unique identifier of the first barrier to the AIS controller, the sending being performed by the BCP controller;
• determining an identity and a location of the first machine within a work area associated with the first barrier based on the RSM unique identifier of the first machine and the BCP unique identifier of the first barrier, the determining being performed by the AIS controller;
• detecting a second incursion of the first barrier of the plurality of barriers, the detecting being performed by the at least one barrier sensor disposed proximate the first barrier;
• determining the second incursion to be of unknown origin if a predetermined time period lapses without communication of an RSM unique identifier to the BCP short-range transceiver of the BCP associated with the first barrier, the predetermined time period being preprogrammed into a memory associated with the AIS controller;
• and
• sending signals to the RSM of the first machine located in the work area associated with the first barrier to shut down the machine, the determining and the sending being performed by the AIS controller.