DE102010030667A1 - Device for monitoring a position and / or a movement of at least one object with respect to a predetermined area, in particular danger area, a plant and installation with a plurality of devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a device for monitoring a position and / or a movement of at least one object in relation to a predetermined area, in particular a danger area, a system comprising an RFID sensor for contactless identification and detection of a distance of the with an RFID Marked object by the device. By comparing the identification and the distance with a data record stored locally on the device, in particular comprising identification data, authorization data, and distance data, a signal that can be perceived by the object is generated depending on the result of the comparison and / or the device is switched from a first operating mode to If a second plant is transmitted to the central control center of the plant for further processing, an improved security solution can be provided, especially one that can be easily expanded in the course of plant modernizations.

Description

The invention relates to a device for monitoring a position and / or movement of at least one object with respect to a predetermined area, in particular danger area, of a facility. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system with such devices.

Changed requirements for plant safety require additional effort in plant construction and especially in modernization projects. There, technical improvements are often implemented step by step, and high one-off costs that need to be anticipated can be difficult to convey.

We are therefore looking for solutions that can be successively and need-based introduced into a plant without relevant initial costs and can be expanded in the course without additional costs. It should fit into the existing automation technology and possibly open up new application possibilities.

So far, the safety measures of a system with the customer have been specified and implemented against the background of applicable law and regulatory requirements. Due to changes in product liability and occupational safety regulations, this is generally required worldwide today. Fences, panels and key or locking systems are used to prevent inadvertent access to security areas.

Often, these systems are mechanical, cause care and administration costs, and sometimes high investments. For modernization projects, the situation is also difficult to meet the appropriate conditions for the extension of security measures (eg space, compatibility and suitability of the assembly site existing equipment, time frame). Flexible, independent and easy to manufacture solutions are not known.

• a) eine Detektoreinheit, welche von einer anwesenden Person ausgehende elektromagnetische Strahlung oder das Ausbleiben von durch eine anwesende Person ausgeblendeter elektromagnetischer Strahlung erfasst, wobei die Detektoreinheit auf einer Kombination von mindestens zwei der nachfolgenden Detektortypen beruht:
• – einem Bewegungsmelder,
• – einer Lichtschranke,
• – einer Videokamera oder einer CCD-Kamera,
• – einer Thermokamera,
• – einer Kombination aus Lichtsender und Halbleitermatrix-Sensor, insbesondere in CMOS-Technologie,
• b) eine Auswerteeinheit, die aus Ausgangsdaten der Detektoreinheit die Anwesenheit einer Person erkennt,
• c) eine mit der Auswerteeinheit in Verbindung stehende Kontrolleinheit, welche bei Anwesenheit einer Person im sicherheitsrelevanten Bereich automatisch eine gegen die Anwesenheit der Person wirkende Aktion einleitet, und
• d) eine Anlagensteuerungseinrichtung, die derart mit der Kontrolleinheit in Verbindung steht, dass bei Erkennen einer gefährdeten Person von der Anlagensteuerungseinrichtung automatisch, insbesondere in Echtzeit, ein die Gefährdung reduzierender Eingriff in den Anlagenbetrieb ausführbar ist.

Furthermore, it is from the WO 2008009536 A1 to provide a monitoring device for a safety-relevant area of an industrial plant, comprising:

• a) a detector unit which detects electromagnetic radiation emitted by a person present or the absence of electromagnetic radiation hidden by a person present, the detector unit being based on a combination of at least two of the following detector types:
• - a motion detector,
• A photocell,
• A video camera or a CCD camera,
• - a thermal camera,
• A combination of light emitter and semiconductor matrix sensor, in particular in CMOS technology,
• b) an evaluation unit which recognizes the presence of a person from output data of the detector unit,
• c) a control unit in communication with the evaluation unit, which automatically initiates an action against the presence of the person in the presence of a person in the security-relevant area, and
• d) a system control device, which is so in communication with the control unit, that upon detection of a person at risk by the plant control device automatically, in particular in real time, a risk reducing intervention in the plant operation is executable.

The object of the present invention is to further increase safety in industrial plants.

This object is achieved with a device for monitoring movements of at least one object with respect to a predetermined area, in particular danger area, of a facility comprising an RFID sensor for contactless identification and detection of a distance of the object provided with an RFID marker from the device in which identification and distance are compared with a data record stored locally on the device, in particular comprising identification data, authorization data, and distance data, wherein a signal perceptible by the object is generated depending on the result of the comparison and / or the device is transferred from a first operating mode into one second mode of operation is transferred and / or a signal is transmitted to a central control center of the system for further processing. The evaluation thus takes place decentrally from or in the case of several devices of each device itself.

Thus, the solution includes a standalone component for the detection and signaling of unauthorized access to hazardous areas. It is available for a perceptible signaling either with a light signal (traffic light, rotating light, ...), an acoustic transducer (horn, ...), a communication interface to the central monitoring unit (process bus, LAN, point-to-point connection,. ..) or fail-safe contacts.

The implementation is based on RFID technology, which allows non-contact and radio-based detection of excellent objects. The award of an object takes place with so-called tags or RFID markers. These are passive electronics used in the Exciter field of the component is activated and sends an identifier. The strength of the received signal can be used to detect the removal and authorization of an object and convert it into a correspondingly escalating signal status (traffic light colors, tone volume or frequency, different telegrams or messages, fail-safe contacts for disconnection).

With control signals (fail-safe inputs, telegrams on the communication line, suitable tags), the component can optionally be switched to other operating modes to allow in the simplest case, an approach without triggering a signal, in particular warning signal. For the control of the control signals and the control technology use of the signal status, it is recommended to connect the components to the control system of the system.

The behavior of the device is controlled by a data set that is created using a suitable software application on a PC workstation. The data set is transmitted to the device via a communication line or by approximation with a correspondingly programmed "tag".

The device preferably behaves itself as a "tag", so that adjacent devices, depending on the appropriate configuration, can identify them as a permitted object at the intended distance.

After suitable design of adjacent devices can be created in this way by logically linking the Einzelstati the devices an overall status and be influenced by mutual change of the own tag identifier, the neighboring device.

Taking into account the distance-dependent signaling behavior, complex area geometries (circle, eighth, triangles with curved edges, ...) as well as redundant instrumentation for higher SI levels can be realized.

For the operative use of the devices are objects, such. As employees and possibly moving equipment, with appropriate "tags" or RFID markers to provide.

This is ensured for the work area by administrative measures, by checking at the entrances or by dynamic detection of the movement profiles of the objects at the central station.

As communication lines, the known serial bus systems automation, especially ProfiBus or ProfiNet are conceivable. The use z. As the ERTEC200 as a communication processor allows the construction of a TCP / IP-capable network between the components or their embedding in conventional automation systems.

An existing switch functionality allows the connection of a camera system for visual representation of the danger zone. The implementation of a web server in the communication processor allows a post-mortem dump in case of failure as well as the retrieval of service and protocol data with standard browsers.

The inventive step consists in the encapsulation of the comprehensive problem solving in a single device with which in cooperation with similar other devices refined solutions (geometry of the monitoring area, SI level) and an overall system with additional superordinate functionality can be designed successively and scaling.

The decentralized approach contributes to a robust way of working. The device can be used individually as well as in the context of the automation system. Higher-level applications enable the analysis of work processes, the discovery of persons and devices, the identification of bottlenecks and potential dangers.

The decentralized mode of operation allows a local shutdown of a subsystem in the event of unauthorized approach, depending on the detected RFID markers. In particular, no higher-level networks and / or a higher-level control system are required for this purpose. The invention also provides the possibility of finding persons and / or tools in the area of the monitored area. The invention also makes it possible to recognize the training or the level of knowledge of the persons in the danger area, provided that this is deposited accordingly on the RFID markers. This makes it possible to respond appropriately to a given situation.

The device expands and enhances the state of the art in terms of plant safety and hazard prevention, along with your software applications.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2008009536 A1 [0006]

Claims (6)

Device for monitoring a position and / or a movement of at least one object with respect to a predetermined area, in particular danger area, of a facility comprising an RFID sensor for contactless identification and detection of a distance of the object provided with an RFID marker from the device, wherein identification and distance is compared with a record stored locally on the device, in particular comprising identification data, authorization data and distance data, wherein a signal perceptible by the object is generated depending on the result of the comparison and / or the device is moved from a first operating mode to a second operating mode is transferred and / or a signal is transmitted to a central control center of the system for further processing. Device according to claim 1, characterized by an RFID marker identifying the device. A device comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of devices are designed such that they interact via contactless data transmission. Plant according to claim 3, wherein at least one first device of the plurality of devices is adapted to influence an RFID tag of a second device of the plurality of devices, in particular an adjacent device of the first device. Plant with a plurality of devices according to claim 3 or 4, wherein based on the data transmission of a decentralized determined by the respective devices status is transmitted to a data center, wherein determined by means of the data center from the transmitted from the plurality of devices status overall status for the system becomes. Installation according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of devices is arranged such that the area to be monitored has a predetermined geometric shape.