EP2936467A1

EP2936467A1 - Monitoring of a hazard zone

Info

Publication number: EP2936467A1
Application number: EP13802650.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Philippe Henneau
Original assignee: Inventio AG
Current assignee: Inventio AG
Priority date: 2012-12-21
Filing date: 2013-12-11
Publication date: 2015-10-28
Also published as: WO2014095511A1

Abstract

Safety system (1) for the monitoring of a hazard zone (2), more particularly a lift system, comprising a detector (10), and at least one marking tag (20) to be detected, wherein the hazard zone (2) is defined by a predefined or predefinable safety distance (ds) between detector (10) and marking tag (20), wherein the marking tag (20) to be detected is fixed in place relative to the hazard zone (2), and the detector (10) is a mobile device.

Description

Monitoring a danger zone

The present invention relates to a security system and a method for monitoring a danger zone as well as an elevator installation, an escalator and a moving walk with a security system and the use of a security system.

Various safety systems for monitoring a danger zone, in particular a danger zone of an elevator installation, are known from the state of the art. For example, JP 2011230920 shows a lift system with built-in safety sensors. These safety sensors are mounted, for example, on the underside of an elevator car and are able to detect persons or objects in the elevator shaft. Accordingly, based on the signal of the safety sensor, a brake mechanism is triggered to prevent injury and damage.

US 2012/0013453 AI shows a security system based on RFID. The objects or persons to be protected are equipped with an RFID transponder. A moving object, for example a self-propelled transport taxi, is equipped with a corresponding RFID reader or with a plurality of such RFID readers and recognizes the RFID transponder of the object to be protected as soon as the moving object falls below a certain safety distance. US 2008/0084317 AI discloses a personal security system which is also based on RFID. Security-relevant zones, such as a swimming pool or an electric range, are equipped with a plurality of RFID readers, so that the entire circumference around the swimming pool or the electric range is detected by at least one RFID reader. Approaches, for example, an RFID transponder, which is worn by a person, such as a child, the RFID transponder is detected at the latest when entering the secure perimeter and it can react accordingly, for example, an alarm triggered.

A disadvantage of all these systems is that in each case the danger zone must be equipped with complex and complex equipment to install.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, a security system and a method for monitoring a danger zone to be made available, which can be installed inexpensively and easily. This object is achieved by the devices defined in the independent claims and

Procedure solved. Further embodiments emerge from the dependent claims. A security system for monitoring a danger zone, in particular an elevator installation, comprises a detector and at least one marking label to be detected. Instead of "tag" in this application, the term "tag" is used. ("Tag" is the English word for "label".) The danger zone is defined by a given or predefinable safety distance between the detector and the tag. The marker tag to be detected is located stationary with respect to the danger zone and the detector is a mobile device.

Here and below, a zone of danger is understood to mean that zone which is defined by a predetermined or predefinable safety distance around an element exhibiting a danger potential. Such a danger zone is located, for example, in an elevator installation below an elevator car. Other danger zones are, for example, open electrical lines or moving parts such as cables or counterweights of an elevator installation. The danger zone is the zone which may not be entered by service personnel or whose entry is permitted only under certain conditions, such as the blockage of the elevator car.

A marker tag to be detected is understood to be an element which can be recognized by a detector. Such a marking tag can be, for example, an RFID transponder, a Recco reflector (which is known in avalanche search systems) or another element which is located over a certain distance and whose distance from the detector can be determined. Such a marking tag is preferably inexpensive to produce, has only a small size, and is easy to install.

By stationary is meant here and below that, for example, a marking tag to be detected is fixedly arranged in an elevator shaft in the region of the movement of the counterweight.

Likewise, the term "stationary" also means that a marker tag to be detected is firmly connected to a movable part, for example the elevator car, which is a danger potential, and moves up and down accordingly with this part or with the elevator car. Of course, the danger zone of the elevator car is also fixedly connected to it and moves up and down in accordance with the elevator car.

A mobile device is understood to mean a device which is not permanently installed. In particular, a mobile device can also be a portable device that can be carried by the service personnel on the body. Examples include mobile phones, radios, maintenance equipment, etc. Because the marker tag to be detected is arranged stationarily with respect to the danger zone and the detector is a mobile device, a very cost-effective security system can be set up. The hazard zone can be defined by one or more simple tag tags. Particularly in the case of complex systems, a large number of tag tags to be detected can be used to precisely adapt the danger zone to the needs or even to define a plurality of individual danger zones. By simply installing the tags to be detected and tagging tags are simple and inexpensive, the entire security system can be installed and operated at very low cost. The detector may include a transmitter for broadcasting a transmitter signal and a receiver for receiving a tag tag signal from a tag tag. Because the entire intelligence or the entire signal management is integrated in the detector, the marking tag can be designed simply and, for example, purely passively. The tag tag signal can be a pure passive reflection of the transmitted signal. Under a purely passive reflection is understood that the entire spectrum of the transmission signal or only a portion of this spectrum is reflected. Through such a purely passive reflection, the marking tag can be set up without own intelligence and above all without energy supply. The tag tag signal may be a tag-modulated version of the transmit signal.

At the same time, the transmission signal from the marking day is consciously modulated and radiated again. This modulation can be done actively. The energy required for the modulation can originate from an energy source which is integrated in the marking tag, connected at the marking tag or made available by the transmitting signal, as is customary, for example, in the case of an RFID transponder. By a modulation of the transmission signal, for example, a marking tag can be detected individually by the detector. In addition, it is conceivable that the marking tag can transmit additional information such as, for example, the type of danger or the safety distance to be maintained.

The tag tag signal may also be a signal generated by tag itself. Correspondingly, such a signal is independent of the form, characteristic, spectrum of the transmission signal. Such a tagging day is, for example, constant or at certain intervals continuously transmitting. Accordingly, a transmitter and a transmitter signal in the detector can be dispensed with in this case. However, the marking tag may also be designed such that it is activated only by the transmitter signal of the detector for emitting its marking tag signal. The detector may include means for triggering an alarm. For example, it is conceivable that as soon as the detector enters the danger zone, or the safety distance between marking tag and detector falls short, an alarm is triggered. The means for triggering an alarm may include an optical and / or acoustic and / or haptic alarm. The service personnel carrying the detector is thus alerted directly to entering the danger zone. For example, the detector may alert the alarm by activating a flashing light and / or by triggering a specific audible alarm signal and / or by vibration.

The means for triggering an alarm may include connection means for forwarding the alarm to an external control unit. Examples of such a connection means are a radio antenna, or a junction box with which a connection to an external control unit can be made.

In case of an alarm, the control unit can initiate further steps. For example, a central warning light and / or a siren can be activated. It is also conceivable that in particular in an elevator installation, the elevator car is blocked. Depending on the type or origin of the triggered alarm, different actions can take place. For example, in an elevator installation only a further shutdown of the elevator car can be prevented, while a startup of the elevator car is still allowed. It is also conceivable that the control unit specially lights security exits or emergency exits, so that the service personnel can get out of the danger zone and the regular operation of the system can be continued again. The safety distance to be maintained can be defined in the detector and / or in the marking tag. The size of the safety distance defines the danger zone. It is conceivable that a fixed safety distance is stored in the detector and this safety distance is identical, for example, for all marking tags. It is also conceivable that different safety distances are defined in the detector for one or more marking tags. However, such differently defined safety distances require that the individual marking tag has an identification feature which is provided by the

Detector can be read to allow assignment of the corresponding safety distance. It is also conceivable that the safety distance is defined directly in the marking tag and this is transmitted to the detector by the tag tag signal.

The detector can detect the individual marking tags before falling below the safety distance, read out the individual data and determine the corresponding safety intervals. individually monitor. Only when falling below a safety distance an alarm is triggered accordingly.

The tag may include means for triggering an alarm. For example, it is conceivable that a marking tag whose safety distance is undershot triggers its own alarm. The service staff can easily determine which safe distance was undercut or which danger zone was violated.

The means for triggering an alarm in the marking tag may include an optical and / or audible alarm. For example, the alarm-triggering marker tag can be made to attract attention with a flashing light. Of course, it is also conceivable that the marking tag is designed such that a triggered alarm is forwarded to a control unit. Accordingly, in turn, offer the same options as previously described. The detector can be integrated in a mobile phone. Here and below, a mobile phone is understood to mean not only a conventional mobile phone or smartphone, but mobile communication devices in general, such as pagers or radios, etc. These devices communicate, for example, via WLAN, cellular networks, Bluetooth, Zigbee, etc. Such mobile communication devices already exist via the necessary transmitter or receiver and also have corresponding optical, acoustic and / or haptic alarm on. A corresponding adaptation of a mobile communication device is very easy and inexpensive to accomplish.

The functionality of the detector can be integrated in a mobile phone in the form of an app. An app refers to any form of application program that can be installed on the mobile phone. Such an app is easy to install on the mobile phone and can even

Operating system to be designed across.

An exemplary embodiment of a method for monitoring a danger zone, in particular an elevator installation, by means of a safety system as described above comprises:

Detecting the tag by means of the detector,

Determining the distance between the detector and the marking tag, - triggering an alarm as soon as the distance between the detector and the marking day is smaller and / or less than the safety distance. This results in the same advantages as already described above.

The distance between the detector and the tag can be determined continuously or at regular time intervals. Through a continuous determination of the distance can be responded to rapid changes. By determining the distance only at regular time intervals, an energy-optimized operation of the safety system is possible. It should be noted, however, that the time intervals are chosen so short that moving processes can still be detected reliably.

When the alarm is triggered, an optical and / or acoustic and / or haptic alarm device can be actuated. Such an alarm device can for example be integrated directly in the detector and / or in one or more marking tags. It is also conceivable that triggering the alarm external alarm are triggered via the connecting means and the control unit.

Although some embodiments are described by the term "security system", it does not necessarily mean that an embodiment has certain properties that may be required by a security system, eg, that it is fail-safe, that it is redundant, or that it is certified other embodiments may have one or more of these properties.

With reference to figures, which represent only embodiments, the invention will be explained in more detail below. Show it:

FIG. 1: a schematic representation of an elevator installation,

FIG. 2 shows a detail view from FIG. 1 with installed security system,

Figure 3: a schematic representation of the security system of Figure 2. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an elevator system of a building. The elevator installation essentially has an elevator cage 6 and a counterweight 7, which are connected to one another by a cable 8 and can be moved up and down by a drive. A control unit 3 controls the elevator installation. Marking tags 20, which define a danger zone 2 around the elevator car 6 and the counterweight 7, are arranged both on the counterweight 7 and on the elevator car 6. The danger zone 2 results from the sum of the danger zones defined through the individual marker tags and is shown by the dashed line around the individual tag tags 20.

Other embodiments of the disclosed technologies may be used with other types of elevator systems, e.g. with counterweight-free systems or with hydraulic systems.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the elevator installation from FIG. 1 with installed safety system. Again recognizable is the elevator car 6 with their tag 20. However, only the danger zone 2 of the lower two marking tags 20 is shown by a dashed line. The elevator car 6 is attached to a cable 8. The tag tags 20 are fixedly attached to the elevator car 6 and thus stationary with respect to the danger zone 2. In the elevator shaft is a service technician with a detector 10. The detector 10 is shown as a mobile device in the form of a mobile phone 18. The detector 10 transmits a transmission signal 12 to detect the tag 20. Starting from the tag tags, a tag tag signal 21 is sent back to the detector 10. In this case, the distance d between the tag tag 20 and the detector 10 is determined. As soon as the distance d is determined to be less than a safety distance ds, that is, as soon as the detector 10 enters the area of the danger zone 2, an alarm is triggered. This alarm can be triggered visually and / or acoustically and / or haptically directly on the detector 10 or on the mobile telephone 18. However, the alarm can also be forwarded by the detector 10 to a central control unit 3 (see FIG. 3), which then activates, for example, a warning light 4 and / or a siren 5. Likewise, the control unit will prevent further lowering of the elevator car 6 by corresponding brake mechanisms are actuated. The service technician will recognize the alarm directly on his mobile phone 18 or perceive via the warning light 4 or the siren 5. FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the security system 1 according to FIG. 2. The security system 1 comprises the detector 10 as well as the marking tag 20. The detector 10 is integrated directly into a mobile telephone 18. The detector 10 has a transmitter 11 and a receiver 13, which are connected to a connection means 17 in the form of an antenna. In addition, the detector 10 has a means 15 which, if necessary trigger an alarm and an alarm transmitter 16, for example, the loudspeaker of the mobile phone 18, can activate. Mark tag 20 also has an alarm trigger

22 and an alarm generator 23 in the form of a flashing light. Around the marking tag 20, the danger zone 2 is shown schematically by a dashed circle. The danger zone extends in a circle or in a spatial representation in a sphere with a radius of the safety distance ds around the marking tag 20. As soon as a transmission signal 12 is emitted by the detector 10, a corresponding marking tag signal 21 is emitted from the marking tag 20. This marking tag Signal can be generated either by reflection or modulation of the transmission signal 12 or active be actively broadcast by the marking tag 20. The tag tag signal 21 will in turn be received as receive signal 14 from the antenna 17 and from the receiver 13. The detector 10 will perform an evaluation and calculate the distance d between the tag tag 20 and detector 10. Should the detector 10 now move into the area of the danger zone 2 of the marking tag 20, the safety distance ds is undershot and an alarm is triggered. This alarm is noticeable, for example, by an alarm sound from the alarm transmitter 16 or by a flashing display of the mobile telephone 18. In addition, the mobile phone 18 can alert by its vibration function on the alarm. Furthermore, the detector 10 informs a control unit 3 about the alarm, so that the control unit 3 can actuate a warning light 4 and a siren 5. If it is an installation in an elevator installation, the control unit 3 can stop and block, for example, an elevator car 6 (see FIG. 2).

The distance d can be detected in various ways. For example, the distance d may be determined according to the strength of the tag signal. In other embodiments, it may be detected by means of a phase difference of two signals at different frequencies, e.g. is described in the patents US 6868073B1 or US 7714773B2. In other embodiments, technologies from proximity warning systems may be used. An example of such a system is BodyGuard from Orbit Communications in Australia. In one embodiment, a method for monitoring a danger zone from an elevator installation, escalator or moving walkway by means of a security system comprises: detecting a tag tag by means of a detector, wherein the tag tag is located stationary with respect to the danger zone and the detector is a mobile device, and wherein the Danger zone is defined by a predetermined or predeterminable safety distance between detector and marking tag, determining a distance between the detector and the marking tag by means of the detector, and triggering an alarm as soon as the distance between the detector and the marking tag is less than or equal to the safety distance.

Claims

Method for monitoring a danger zone (2) from an elevator installation, an escalator or a moving walkway by means of a safety system (1), comprising:

- Detecting a tag tag (20) by means of a detector (10), wherein the tag tag (20) is arranged stationary with respect to the danger zone (2) and the detector (10) is a mobile maintenance device for the elevator system, the escalator, or the moving walk, and wherein the danger zone (2) is defined by a predetermined or predefinable safety distance (ds) between detector (10) and marking tag (20),

- Determining a distance (d) between the detector (10) and the marking tag (20) by means of the detector (10), and

Triggering of an alarm as soon as the distance (d) between the detector (10) and the marking tag (20) is less than or equal to the safety distance (ds).

A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance (d) between the detector (10) and the marking tag (20) is determined continuously or at regular time intervals.

Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the detector (10) has a transmitter (11) for transmitting a transmitter signal (12) and a receiver (13) for receiving a marker tag signal (21) coming from a marker tag (20).

A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the tag signal (21) is a purely passive reflected version of the transmission signal (12).

Method according to Claim 3, characterized in that the tag signal (21) is a version of the transmission signal (12) modulated by the tag tag (20).

Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized by reading the safety distance (ds) from the detector (10) or from the marking tag (20).

Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the alarm is triggered by the detector (10).

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the alarm from the marking tag (20) is triggered.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the alarm is an optical alarm or an acoustic alarm or a haptic alarm.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the alarm is forwarded to an external control unit (3).

11. A security system (1) for monitoring a danger zone (2) by means of a method according to one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the detector (10) and the marker tag (20).

12. Security system (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the detector (10) is integrated in a mobile telephone (18).

13. Security system (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that functionality of the detector (1) is integrated in the form of an app.

14. escalator or moving walk with a safety system according to one of claims 11 to 13.

15. Elevator installation with a safety system according to one of claims 11 to 13.