WO2021240329A1 - System and method for detecting prohibited objects in exclusion zone - Google Patents

Abstract

Systems and methods for sensing and alerting nearby workers to the presence of objects within areas there they are prohibited. The objects have smart tags associated with them, and transceivers monitor an exclusion zone for the entry of objects into the exclusion zone. An alert system provides notification of the detection of the entry of such an object into the exclusion zone.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING PROHIBITED OBJECTS IN EXCLUSION ZONE

Background

Maintaining the safety and health of workers is a major concern across many industries. Various rules and regulations have been developed to aid in addressing this concern, which provide sets of requirements to ensure proper administration of personnel health and safety procedures. To help in maintaining worker safety and health, certain objects are prohibited in various industrial areas. A good example is the prohibition of ignition sources in areas where flammable materials are used or stored.

In addition to rules that prohibit banned chemicals or substances from particular areas, workers may also be required to wear certain types of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE articles include, without limitation, respiratory protection equipment (RPE), e.g., for normal condition use or emergency response, protective eyewear, such as visors, goggles, filters or shields, protective headwear, such as hard hats, hoods or helmets, hearing protection, protective shoes, protective gloves, other protective clothing, such as coveralls and aprons, protective articles, such as sensors, safety tools, detectors, global positioning devices, mining cap lamps and any other suitable gear.

However, workers must still rely on personal diligence to comply with rules prohibiting certain objects within exclusion zones. Such user diligence is subject to mistake and error.

Summary

Systems and methods to automatically monitor for and detect the presence of prohibited objects within an area where such objects are disallowed (referred to herein as an exclusion zone). The prohibited objects have smart tags associated with them, and when transceivers associated with the exclusion zone detect the presence of a smart tag associated with a prohibited object, a set of exclusion zone rules is applied to determine a first alert state. The first alert state may comprise, for example, alert notifications and text messages provided to various workers in the area, managers, supervisors or the like. The first alert state may also include for example audible or visual alarm systems within the exclusion zone. Areas proximate to the exclusion zone may also be monitored so workers can be alerted if they are approaching an exclusion zone with a prohibited object, though the prohibited object has not yet entered the exclusion zone.

The concept of an override condition is also described. An override condition may be, for example, a token which includes its own smart tag, and if present with the prohibited object presumptively in violation of the exclusion zone rules, it may cause the object exclusion zone monitoring system to not alert certain users, or to switch to an alert state that is different than the first alert state. Such an alert state is typically a reduced alert state, or in some cases no alert state at all.

Logic associated with the removal of a sensed prohibited object is also described.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an prohibited object monitoring system according to one embodiment;

Figure 2 is a drawing of a prohibited object with a smart tag;

Figure 3 is a system diagram of the prohibited object monitoring system.

Figure 4 is a flowchart showing one example method that could be practiced using systems described herein.

Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a further example method that could be practiced using systems described herein.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario associated with Example 1.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods to automatically enforce object exclusion rules within manufacturing, industrial, healthcare, storage, transportation, shipping, or any other settings where the presence of certain materials or equipment is banned for safety or other reasons. For example, in areas where highly flammable chemicals or materials are stored or utilized, certain ignition sources, such as welding machines, are not allowed without special permissions or precautions. There are many other examples of industrial or lab settings having areas where certain chemicals, objects, or devices are disallowed. For example, the National Safety Council maintains a listing of incompatible chemicals. A few examples include: Separate containers of fuels from containers of oxygen; sodium in areas that could become wet (under a sprinkler head, shower, etc.); strong acids and bases; chemicals that have potential to generate poisonous gases and chemicals which may accelerate or initiate release of such poisonous gas upon contact - for example, cyanogens are not to be stored with acids, and cleaning products containing chlorine are not to be stored with ammonia; fuels with explosives, such as picric acid; incompatible acids, for example perchloric acid is not to be stored with a reducing agent such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid and acetic acid are also not to be stored together. Additionally, people, particularly workers, may be disallowed in areas that are considered particularly hazardous. For the purposes of this disclosure, workers may be considered prohibited objects in cases where there is an exclusion zone and they are not to enter.

Systems and methods as described herein may substantially reduce the risk of certain objects entering into areas where they are prohibited (areas wherein such objects are disallowed will be called exclusion zones herein). Further, unlike administrate rules and policy, which is primarily what is used to date, systems and methods described herein rely less or not at all on the diligence and training of individual workers, and instead work behind the scenes to automatically monitor for and alert on events indicative of the presence of prohibited objects in an exclusion zone.

An illustrative embodiment involves the exclusion of objects, such as those comprising ignition sources, from areas bearing certain classifications as defined by the National Electric Code, published by the National Fire Protection Association. The code defines various classes and zones are used to specify acceptable limits to combustible gasses or vapors. In certain classified areas, such as Class 1 or Division 1, the presence of non-intrinsically safe classified equipment is prohibited. In embodiments described below, an exclusion zone monitoring system warns workers of the potential of high-risk events, for example via simple messaging system (SMS) notification, an audible signal, a visual signal such as on a heads-up display, or via a vibration signal. These warnings may inform other workers present in the area that someone is at risk via these same methods and may also inform site administration that a worker is at risk. Further exemplary scenarios are detailed at the end of this disclosure.

Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of an object exclusion zone monitoring system 100, according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Object exclusion zone monitoring system 100 includes a number of prohibited objects 120A-120C, each including coupled thereto a smart tag 130A-130C. Exclusion zone 125 includes objects 52, which are incompatible with prohibited objects 120A-C. An anteroom to exclusion zone 125, entry 127, is a room by which physical access is gained to exclusion zone 125. As will be seen later in this description, the anteroom concept may also be virtually implemented (see Example 1), not requiring a specific room adjacent to an exclusion zone. Transceivers 140A-140C are positioned in entry 127 and exclusion zone 125 to use radio frequencies or other wireless communication technology to monitor entry 127 (in the case of transceiver 140A) or the exclusion zone 125 (in the case of transceivers 140B and C).

If a prohibited object 120A comes within entry 127, transceiver 140A will sense such entry. Similarly, if the prohibited object 120A continues into the exclusion zone 125, transceivers 140B and / or 140C will sense such presence. As the prohibited object moves out of the range of one transceiver, it may be sensed by another transceiver. Transceivers 140A-C are communicatively coupled to a network via Wi-Fi or similar wireless digital communications network, as shown by wireless transceiver 144, which connects to network 160. Also connected to network 160 is computer system 150, which runs software embodying an exclusion zone monitoring system. Computer system 150 receives communications from transceivers 140A-140C indicative of the presence of certain objects within the entry 127 of exclusion zone 125 and applies various rules to determine the type of an event that took place and to then, as needed, initiate alert systems. Alert systems, which are communicatively coupled to the computer system 150, may include alarms 102A and 102B which are physically located proximate to monitored areas such as entry 127 and exclusion zone 127. Alert systems may also comprise smart phones 24 or heads up monitoring systems 26 that are on the person of workers, either that are nearby or that have been assigned to received alerts. For example, a site supervisor may get a text message or an alert on a custom app when a prohibited object enters an exclusion zone.

Or if a worker is wearing a heads-up display, that worker may get a visual and audible alert when a prohibited object comes into entry 127 or exclusion zone 125. The smart phone may require acknowledgment by the supervisor, either by response text message or via inter-app functionality.

Work environment 125 may be any room or area in which the presence of certain objects is prohibited. Exemplary working environments include, without limitation, factories, industrial settings, paint shops, petrochemical refineries, mines, smelting facilities, pharmaceutical factories, or the like. In some embodiments, the work environment 125 may not be within a building, but may be, for example, a location where shipping containers are stored.

Prohibited objects 120 may comprise any objects that are prohibited or restricted in exclusion zone 125. In some embodiments, prohibited objects 120 may also comprise objects that are not necessarily prohibited under all circumstances, but are such that their presence in an exclusion zone is a noteworthy event for safety or other reasons - that is, for example, the object is not necessarily prohibited, but a site supervisor or other workers should be aware that the object is present in the exclusion zone, for safety reasons. An example of a prohibited object might be an ignition source, where the exclusion zone contains highly flammable materials, either in storage or in use. Such an ignition source might be a welding machine or torch, which has a smart tag 130 coupled thereto (as is shown in Figure 2). The smart tags 130 may be removably or permanently coupled to the prohibited object through any appropriate mechanical mechanism including, without limitation, snap-fit connections, such as one that prevents improper connection; hook and loop mechanisms; repositionable adhesives; clips; slots; threaded screw-in connections; bayonets; magnetic mechanisms; as well as other known and suitable approaches. In one exemplary embodiment, the tag 130 may is attached to a prohibited object, either directly or to a container or apparatus that is coupled to or containing the prohibited object. For example, where the prohibited object comprises a liquid or gas, the tag would be coupled to the vessel containing the liquid or gas. If the prohibited object is too small to be tagged, the tag may be affixed or coupled by way of lanyard, if practical, or any suitable analog apparatus that is associated with the presence of the object (containers, carts, etc.)

Smart tag 130 may comprise any suitable smart tag known in the art. Essentially, a smart tag is a data carrier that carries data accessible by suitable methods employed by transceivers 140, including, but not limited to, electronic, optical, or other wireless technology. Data on a smart tag may, typically, at least, include tag identification information, such as an identification number (for example, serial number). In addition, the smart tag 130 may contain other information relating to the prohibited object 120, such as the type of object and/or component(s) included in the object, compositional information, historical information relating to the object and/or the component(s), information about users who have interacted with the object (who used it, where it was used, under what condition it was used, etc.), maintenance or other type of processing, information about who wrote information onto the smart tag, any requirements relating to the object, component(s) and/or their use, whether any such requirements have been satisfied, such as any certifications obtained, and any other useful information, such as component change-out history, or the working environment.

Smart tags 130 include passive and active types. Generally, passive tags do not include an internal power source and the data carried thereby may be encoded at manufacture. Data information may be acquired from a passive smart tag, for example, by radio frequency, microwave, infrared, or other wireless modes; or by optical readers or other appropriate electronic or optical technology. One type of passive smart tag is radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, wherein a transceiver carries read-only data. Another type of passive smart tags may be rewritable. RFID technology is known and understood by those skilled in the art and, hence, only a brief description is included herein for facilitating understanding of the present disclosure. Passive RFID type smart tags are typically provided in the form of small labels or the like that include a coiled, etched or stamped antenna, a capacitor, and a substrate on which the components are mounted or embedded. For some metallic smart tags, the metallic portion itself may serve as the antenna. The RFID type smart tag may be embedded in or attached to the prohibited objects 120 by any suitable approach. For example, the smart tags may be joinable as by being adhered, fastened, sewn, friction fitted, mechanically clipped, welded (e.g., ultrasonically ) or molded, etc. onto or into the components, included as an integral component of the article or securely attached by any suitable means.

Besides passive RFID smart tags, which are preferred, other passive smart tags may include, without limitation, optical kinds including barcode and optical character recognition systems; electromagnetic systems; and acoustomagnetic systems.

Many active smart tags carry their own internal power source as well as a memory for storing data, and an appropriate antenna for allowing exchanging of their data. The internal power supply may include a micro-battery, a thin film battery, or the like. Active smart tags may be reprogrammable and may include, besides an antenna, a microchip to receive and store additional information beyond the information contained in its fixed code. Active smart tags may exchange their data information with data acquiring and/or transmitting devices, such as including, without limitation, readers and/or writers, scanners, and/or data receivers, such as wireless receivers. The exchange may be initiated by the active smart tag itself once it finds a suitable or designated, reader, scanner, or receiver. The active smart tags may transmit their data in response to triggering or interrogating signals, they may actively transmit their data independently of such signals. For instance, the active smart tags may continuously or periodically transmit data to appropriate readers and/or writers, scanners, or receivers. As noted, some active smart tags include the capability to receive and store additional information beyond that contained by its encoded data. Other kinds of active smart tags may be configured to be rewritable. For instance, an active RFID smart tag may be rewritable, as by an RFID reader/writer.

Other kinds of active smart tags include a real time location system (RTLS) smart tag. An RTLS active smart tag is an active tag having a transmitter and a receiver and it communicates with a network according to a particular protocol. RTLS systems can work to determine the position of the smart tag in a 2-dimensional or 3- dimensional space. For example, a RTLS smart tag generally uses one or both of the following wireless location- based methods for determining the position of a smart tag or the object the tag is attached to.

The first is a Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) method. In one implementation of this method, the smart tag will broadcast a signal to multiple wireless receivers 140 at known locations. The time at which the signal is received by each receiver is measured, and a set of equations can be used to determine the position of the smart tag. Examples of systems using this method are a global positioning system (GPS) or a system using low frequency radio transmitters that use the time interval between radio signals (LORAN). Densely deployed wireless transceivers and antenna arrays also provide a means of line- of-sight (LoS) distance probability, and direction of arrival (DoA) calculation for 5G integrated smart tags. Another example is an active smart tag used in a Wi-Fi system that determines how long a signal takes to reach a receiver. Other companies that use this principle for RTLS systems are AeroScout Inc., Redwood City, CA; NanoTron Technologies, GmbH, Berlin, Germany; WhereNet, Santa Clara, CA; and, MultiSpectral Solutions, Inc., Germantown, MD. A RTLS may also use a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) method. This latter method requires tags or fixed transceivers to measure the received power (signal strength) of the incoming signals. Then, using either known variations of signal strength vs. distance from transmitters, or by measuring the signal strengths at various locations and matching these measured strengths to the measured strengths, position can be determined. Other companies that provide commercially available products using the RTLS system include Wavetrend, Fairfax VA, and PanGo Networks, Framingham, MA.

One example of an active smart tag suitable for use in an RTLS system is an Ekahau™ smart tag, which communicates with wireless receivers in a wireless local area network (WLAN) through IEEE 802.1 lb, 802.1 lg, 802.1 lad, and P802.1 lay standards. The Ekahau™ smart tag is commercially available from Ekahau, Inc., Reston VA and may be used in the present exemplary embodiment. Other examples of suitable smart tags may be provided, and include those, such as described, in U.S. Patent No. 6.853,303.

With the advent of low power wide area networks (LPWA), 4G LTE and 5G solutions may also be well suited toward deployment in this embodiment. Some advantages of 5G enabled smart tags: low power consumption for extended battery lives, lower costs, and long transmission ranges as compared to existing Wi-Fi access point technologies, where the range is limited to within a facility’s boundaries based in wireless access point coverage. For example, AT&T can be used as a reference point in offering 12MB a year for only $12, which equates to ~$0.03/day for a 365-calendar day period. Standards have been developed by 3GPP that prepare the market for long-term evolution for machines (LTE-M) narrow-band IoT (NB-IoT) architectures that are geared towards IoT devices using 5G infrastructure. Carriers, such as AT&T as another example, provide these infrastructure services today. Affixing a wide range of objects, some prohibited in some circumstances or areas, some not, with wireless tag transceivers can allow for site- specific rules on what objects are not appropriate for a given workplace environment and can alert multiple personas of the risk for response before an incident might occur.

Another embodiment is simply a Bluetooth-enabled device, wherein the smart tag affixed to a device is a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) module that can be added to equipment or PPE that does not already have an integrated wireless transceiver, thus adding wireless communications functionality that can be used to communicate with, for example, a 3M Connected Safety System Components - such as hardware sold under 3M’s Versaflo Connected PAPR name. Additionally, there are commercially available Bluetooth chipsets available in the market that provide similar functionality.

As noted, the data from the smart tags 120 may be acquired by data acquiring devices such as transceivers 140 (which may also have functionality to write to the smart tag, if applicable), as well as other suitable devices. Transceivers 140 may include an antenna for transmitting an interrogation signal to a smart tag and receiving a return signal from the tag containing information. Transceivers may be directionally oriented to monitor a conical area of a pre-defmed area, or they may be omnidirectional, as such need is dictated by the physical areas they are deployed within. For example, transceiver 140B is intended to monitor for the presence of prohibited objects within exclusion zone 125, but it is physically located proximate entry 127. To avoid false alarms, transceiver 140B could be selected to be directional - only broadcasting and receiving communications from areas within the exclusion zone 125, or it is also possible to program the system such that alerts from transceiver 140B are presumed to be false alarms unless the transceiver 140A has already alerted. In some embodiments, the transceivers are deployed to be directional and have their active radio area closely associated with borders of the exclusion zone or entry area (if applicable), to avoid false positives. However, in other embodiments, normal omnidirectional transceivers are quite suitable - for example, in a simple deployment, a Bluetooth transceiver, having a range of about 256 feet, may be placed in an area associated with an exclusion zone. The precise perimeter of such an exclusion zone is not necessarily clearly defined, but in various deployments a precise boundary is not needed. Such would be the case on, for example, an open-type manufacturing floor. As a prohibited object having a Bluetooth radio tag approaches the transceiver, its signal strength would increase, and the analytics engine could be programmed to sound an alert when a certain signal threshold was reached, perhaps escalating various alarm states in conjunction with the signal increase.

Transceivers may provide signals to smart tags causing the smart tags to provide response signals - so called interrogation signals, which are used to monitor an area for the presence of a smart tag. Interrogation signals, broadly, are simply initial signals provided by the transceiver to initiate some kind of response signal from a smart tag. In simple RFID contexts, they may directly cause an RFID tag to generate a static response.

In other embodiments, such as with a Bluetooth smart tag, the interrogation signals are basically pings, and upon discovery of a Bluetooth smart tag, further communications ensue. In other configurations, transceivers may be first alerted to the presence of a prohibited object due to periodic pings the associated smart tag may provide; upon detection of such a ping the transceiver may initiate further back-and-forth communications.

Entry 127 and exclusion zone 125 are seen in this particular embodiment to have alert systems 102A and B, respectively, coupled to perimeter walls. These alert systems may comprise visual or audible alarm systems, deploying blinking lights or noises, for example.

Alert systems 102 and transceivers 140 are communicatively coupled to network 160. This may be done physically through a hard-wired setup, or preferably is accomplished through a Wi-Fi system provided by a Wi-Fi transceiver 144. Transceivers 140 and alert systems 102 are, via network 160, which is any suitable network such as TCP/IP, communicatively coupled to computer system 150. The network 160 may include, without limitation, a local -area network (FAN), wide area network (WAN), the internet, or a wireless network, such as a wireless local area network (WFAN). The computer system 150 may represent any type of computer system, programmable logic devices, or the like. The computer system 150 may include server computers, client computers, PC-based servers, minicomputers, tablets, midrange computers, mainframe computers; or other suitable devices. In some exemplary embodiments, the computer system 150 may include portable computer systems including laptops, handheld computer systems. In addition, the prohibited object detection system 100 may include one or more local computer systems located in the work environment 125 (not shown in Figure 1).

Computer system 150 runs an embodiment of an exclusion zone monitoring system, and will be described in further detail below, in association with Figure 3. Generally, computer system 150 receives communications from transceivers 140 indicative of “prohibited object present” events, and then applies rules to determine how or if to activate the alert systems 102 or other alert processes. These other alert processes include, for example, providing signals to communicatively coupled smart phones 24 or heads up displays 26, which may be worn by area workers. For example, a site or shift supervisor may have on his or her person a smart phone 25, and upon computer system 150 recognizing a prohibited object present event, it may cause a notification to be sent to the site or shift supervisor’s smart phone advising of predetermined details associated with the prohibited object present event. Such details might include, for example, date and time information, physical location information, and details of the event as are available to the computer system 150.

Turning now to Figure 2, a prohibited device 204 is illustrated. In this illustrated embodiment, prohibited object 204 is welder 200, which is an ignition source, and would be prohibited in areas that house or process flammable liquids or materials. Other scenarios of objects being disallowed in certain areas are expected and contemplated within the scope of this disclosure. Affixed to the body of welder 200 is smart tag 120, described above.

In an embodiment where the system might be deployed outside of a building, take storage yards for containers - the type of containers typically loaded onto ocean-going vessels, for example. In such an environment, each container could contain its own transceiver, effectively creating an exclusion zone 125 around the container. These containers could independently detect any nearby containers which are designated to have incompatible contents (that is, such incompatible containers are effectively prohibited objects 120). When materials that are incompatible get too close to a container, that is, within the exclusion zone defined by its transceiver, alerts are provided.

Figure 3 shows a functional software diagram of object exclusion zone monitoring system 300 which is running as an application on computer system 150. Computer system 150 may be any suitable general purpose- or custom-built computer system. It has a processor 310, which carries out instructions on data stored within memory 320, then writing the results of those instructions as needed back to the memory and communicates with other devices via network 330.

Memory 320 may be a permanent storage medium, such as a hard disk, CD-ROM, tape, Flash memory, other types of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or the like, which stores the operating system and the specialized applications programs. It also may comprise random access and re-writable volatile memory. The contents of the memory 320 may be retrieved from whatever physical storage device as is employed, as required. Memory 320 is capable of storing files from the operating system run by the computer system (not shown in Figure 3), as well as files from one or more application programs. The schematic diagram of computer system 150 is simplified, as such computer systems are well known in the art. Running on computer system 150 is object exclusion zone monitoring system 300, which is a program that implements various software modules to detect the presence of prohibited objects within an exclusion zone (detection module 380), applies rules to detection events with an analytics engine 390, then causes various alerts to take place via an alert module 392. A particular embodiment and design of object exclusion zone monitoring system 300 is shown in Figure 3 - other configurations which combine or alter functionality of the various modules is contemplated herein. User interface module 370 may be coupled to a physical monitor and computing system whereby a user, typically a worker, may configure aspects of the system 300. API 389, or application program interface, may allow functionality of system 300 to be accessed via program calls from other programs running on system 150 or from other computer systems or programs. Various data are included in system 300, including rules 390, which include rules that govern when a detected incident should be recognized as such (as opposed to a presumptive false positive, for example), and alert paths (alert data 350), which includes which alarms should be triggered, for how long, at what intensity (as applicable), who should be notified and how, etc. Exception data 360 includes data defining exceptions to various rules - overrides, for example, as will be discussed below.

Alerting ultimately takes place via alerting module 392, which communicatively interfaces with the various alert paths described earlier in relation to Figure 1. The alert data 350 includes various alert states, which define alert paths such as email addresses, API calls to other alert or alarm systems, or smartphone telephone numbers for SMS text messages or the like. In in its broadest sense, an alert state defines the manner and scope of an alert - whether and which smart phones should be notified, which physically located alarms should sound, how they should sound (if applicable), etc. Alert states are tailored to particular circumstances of a deployment. Alert states can change as more information or time goes by - for example, a first alert state may be initiated, and a plant manager may acknowledge the alert, which causes the system to move to a second alert state that, for example, reduces aspects of an alarm condition. This might occur, for example, if a worker brings a prohibited object into an exclusion zone, which causes a first alert state which is associated with visual and audible alarms in the exclusion zone. When this first alert state is acknowledged by a plant manager (signaling perhaps approval), the first alert state could change to a second alert state which is the same as the first alert state but without the audible alarm in the exclusion zone, for example.

A first alert state might be defined to be associated with the highest-level safety condition, where basically all physical alarms, cell phones, etc. that are associated with a prohibited object entry event are activated or otherwise engaged. Further alert states may also be defined which are different than the first alert state. For example, an entry room alert state may be defined where the presence of a prohibited object is sensed in entry room 127, but not yet in exclusion area 125. Such an alert condition may be highly localized to the entry room itself or an individual within that room only, as a prohibited object within the entry room is not a violation of any safety protocol itself. Further alert conditions may be associated with removal of a detected prohibited object within an exclusion zone - for example, it’s possible that upon the removal a prohibited object, local audible and visual alarms may cease, but an alarm to a supervisor stays active and is modified to indicate the status of the event.

A yet further alert state may be associated with the detection of other smart tags within the exclusion zone. For example, exception data includes data related to other events that are relevant to the analytics engine 390 in making a determination of how to invoke alert module 392. These may be sensed by transceivers 140, or they may be sensed by other means. For example, exception data may include data indicative of the presence in the room of an override token or smart tag, which if accompanying a prohibited object may cause special processing by the analytics engine, called herein an override state. An override state is a system state where a prohibited object has been detected in an exclusion zone, but there is a further condition that causes the alarm state to be modified, particularly downgraded. A typical override state would exist where an authorized worker took a prohibited object into an exclusion zone - that is, it is not actually prohibited for that particular user to have the object in that zone. Such information would be in the exception database. Another example would be where transceivers 140 detect the presence of an override token. Such an override token might be in the form of a special lanyard that has affixed to it a particular smart tag. For example, such a token or smart tag may comprise a lanyard worn by a worker who is authorized to take the prohibited object into the exclusion zone. A site manager or other authoritative entity may issue such smart token or tag. The presence of the override token in conjunction with the detection of a prohibited object present event may be configured to not invoke any audible or visual alerting systems, but may just provide a text message to a supervisor and write the event to a log (whereas the same prohibited object present event would, without the additional presence of the override token, cause a the alert system to visually and audibly trigger). Exception data 360 additionally may include personal information about who is in the exclusion zone, and in some embodiments, their role. Such information may be provided from a badge in / badge out type system (or similar system using biometrics). This personal information may be programmed to function similarly to the override token - for example, a particular worker, or a worker in a particular role or job function (such as a manager or specialist), may be authorized to possess a prohibited object within the exclusion zone. If the exception data 360 shows that a particular authorized worker is present in the room at the same time as the prohibited object, the analytics engine may invoke various alert paths via the alert module 392 that cause a lesser alert than if that worker were not present. This may include writing details of the event to a log but not otherwise providing any real time alert to the workers in the area, for example.

A further alert state may be associated with a count of objects that enter an exclusion zone. This use case may or may not be associated with override tokens. In one embodiment, a worker may be temporarily allowed to possess, for example, three articles that are prohibited objects within an exclusion zone 125. The temporary allowance may be by way of an override token, or some other means of a software override. Upon the expiration of termination of the temporary allowance, such as for example, the override token leaving the exclusion zone, the object exclusion zone monitoring system would then confirm that all three of the prohibited objects temporarily allowed have left the exclusion zone.

The various data sources, rules 340, alert data 350, and exception data 360 may all be stored and retrieved using typical storage and retrieval technologies. These could include XML files, databases, relational databases, flat files, other types of data stores, and the like.

Rules 340 additionally may include logic that specifies how the alert system should respond once a prohibited object detection event is over. For example, say a prohibited object enters an exclusion zone, as detected by detection module 380 (and as coupled via network 330 to the various transceivers 140 around the perimeter of exclusion zone 125) and as analyzed by analytics engine 390 (along with any relevant data from exception data 360), which causes a first alert posture via alert module 292. This first alert posture may comprise, for example, aggressive alerts, effectively triggering every alert possible, and be synonymous with a prohibited object in exclusion zone event in process. Once the object is no longer detected, as indicated by the detection module 380, the analytics engine applies rules 340 which may cause the first alert posture to change to a second alert posture, the second alert posture being synonymous with an prohibited object in exclusion zone event having just taken place but no longer being in progress. Rules in rules data 340 may be configured in such ways as to have whatever alarm condition simply cease upon an object detection event ceasing, of course, as well.

Turning now to Figure 4, a block diagram showing an embodiment of method 450 is shown, as could be practiced in one embodiment using the object exclusion zone monitoring system 100 detailed above. First, in step 452, signals are received from a smart tag associated with a prohibited object. These signals are received via transceivers positioned within or proximate to entrances to the exclusion zone. These signals may define, in some embodiments, a detection event. Signals indicative of the detection event are received by a computer system, which applies a set of predefined rules (step 454) to determine how to handle the detection event. This application results in the determination of a first alarm state, which is effected in step 456.

Figure 5 presents a further embodiment of a method 700 that may be implemented with exclusion zone monitoring system 100. In this method, signals are received from a smart tag associated with a prohibited object within an exclusion zone (step 702). Similar to the method described with respect to Figure 4, exclusion zone rules are next applied (step 704). Then an alert state is determined based on the application of the rules (step 706). Next, however, signals are received from a transceiver, such as a smart tag, associated with an override token. This override token has the effect of changing how the rules are applied in step 704, or of applying different rules. The next effect of these applications of rules is to determine an alert state that is different (step 706) than the alert state that would exist absent the presence of the token. For example, if a token is present, this may indicate that the presence of the prohibited objects is actually allowed, and instead of alerting individuals, the predefined logic may say that nobody is to be alerted if the token is present (that is, the second alert state is no alert); or that only a subset or different set of individuals is to be notified (that is, the second alert state is different than the alert state that would have existed had the token not been present).

Examples

The following examples are prophetic examples using the principles of the present disclosure.

Example 1

In reference to Figure 6, a manufacturing facility 400 includes several welding stations, or kiosks 410. Each kiosk includes a welder 408, having wheels, each being light enough that it can be easily transported around the manufacturing facility as needed. The welders are powerful ignition sources. Another area of the manufacturing facility is the paint area 404. This may be a separate room or it may be separated with curtains or other indicia from the rest of manufacturing facility. The paint area stores and uses various flammable chemicals, such as methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), which is a highly flammable solvent. MEK, in this factory, is used to test the quality of a paint job. A cotton swab is dipped in MEK and rubbed onto a painted metal part to test the paint job quality. Additionally, liquid paints used in this manufacturing facility are often thinned with xylene or other flammable solvents. Finally, acetone is also used in the paint area, to remove grease from metal parts before painting. The area is demarked with signs advising of the prohibition of any ignition sources.

Each welder 408 is affixed with a Bluetooth tag (as shown in Figure 2). The Bluetooth tag has a small battery that is recharged when the station is plugged in. A Bluetooth transceiver 406 is set in a centrally located area of paint area 404. Bluetooth transceiver 406 begins to communicate with the Bluetooth smart tags on welders when they are approximately 256 feet away in this embodiment, depending on any obstructions. Signal perimeter 412C defines the outermost range of transceiver 406. As a Bluetooth smart tag moves closer to transceiver 406, the signal strength improves until at range 412A, it is above 60% (at 412B, it is above 20%, and at 412C it is above 10%). The percentage strength ranges effectively define virtual exclusion zones; a first, the most distant from the paint area, zone 414, for Bluetooth pairing and monitoring but with no alarm state; a second zone 416 which is associated with an alarm state synonymous with “approaching a restricted zone with prohibited equipment”; and a third zone 418, which is the exclusion zone, which is associated with a heighted alarm state synonymous with “safety violation! Remove prohibited object immediately!” or even, “evacuate!”. An alarm bell with lights 420 is responsive to various alarm states.

Behind the scenes, a computer system as shown in Figure 3 is running a prohibited object exclusions zone system configured for this Bluetooth particular deployment. As a welder 408 moves into the most distant zone 414, detection module 480 receives first information about the approaching welder. In this particular deployment, site management has configured detection module 380 to take no further action on a welder; it is considered a non-event. However, Bluetooth pairing with the device does take place, and detection module 380 begins to actively monitor the signal strength in the communications link between the welder and transceiver 406. The welder then moves into the next closest zone 416, and detection module determines this because signal strength in the Bluetooth communications has gone above 40%. Detection module then provides signals to analytics engine 390 which applies rules defined by site management from rules data 340, which define an alert state associated with the approach of a prohibited object to an exclusion zone. This particular alarm state comprises only the activation of an audible chime on the welder, communicatively coupled to the Bluetooth smart tag; nothing further. The analytics engine checks the exception data 360 for any relevant exceptions, and finding none initiates the alert module 392, and the alert module pulls rules from the alert data 350 defining what alerts are to be initiated.

When the welder moves into exclusion zone 418, detection module detects that the signal strength is high - above 60%, and passes such information on to analytics engine 390, which again applies rules from rules data 390 and checks for applicable exceptions from exception data 360 to determine the extent of the breach, then initiates alert module 392 for this heighted breach. In this scenario, site management determined that in the event of a breach of the exclusion zone, alarm 420 would alert at its maximum level, both visually and audibly, and a Bluetooth connected speaker on the welder would play a human voice saying “Remove welder from restricted area” on repeat. Text messages are also sent to site management. Once the welder is removed from the exclusion zone 480, the basic process works in reverse, with the detection module and analytics module de-escalating the alarm states commensurate with increasing distance from transceiver 406. The analytics engine may also write data indicative of various activity to logs.

In a slight alternative to the above scenario, consider a situation where one of the welders must be brought into the restricted zone 418 to provide maintenance on equipment in that area. Exception data defines this exception, which defines a time window where a particular welder may be present, and analytics engine 390 does not initiate an alarm state during this time window.

Example 2

In this example, an individual is prohibited from certain areas. The individual wears a tagged PPE, carries a tagged piece of equipment, or is directly equipped with a tag on their person (e.g. where the tag is affixed to their clothing), in accordance with the rules configured by the site admin. The tag identifies the person by association of the employee ID as assigned by the employer - that is, the individual’s ID might be for example 123456 and she has smart tagged respirator xl23 that is classified as intrinsically safe, and also has a smart tagged multi-tool xl24 that is not classified as intrinsically safe. The multi -tool is not prohibited in a classified Zone 1 area. The individual gets closer to a transponder that is located proximate the zone 1 area, and, as in Example 1, various alert states are escalated to the individual carrying the prohibited equipment when approaching the zone, as well as other individuals as needed, including the designated site safety professionals (site admins, supervisors, etc.).

There are multiple reasons why the individual may be prohibited from entering the zone. For example, the zone may have antiseptic requirements, such that only a limited group of individuals is permitted to enter, so as to limit opportunities for introducing potentially infectious agents into the zone. Or, the zone may contain equipment that the individual is not authorized or qualified to operate. The zone may contain intellectual property or trade secrets that the individual is not authorized to observe. The individual entering the zone is not authorized to be there or has not gone through the necessary training for the area or met equipment requirements. In other embodiments, the individual's phone may be used for tracking, rather than a dedicated tag. The phone's embedded BLE hardware would act in place of a dedicated tag. Alternatively, the phone's known GPS coordinates could be continually communicated via cellular (e.g. 3G, 4G, or 5G) protocols or via a WIFI network, so that the invention could track the individual and raise alerts in the event that the individual enters a restricted zone.

It will be appreciated that numerous and varied other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. For example, each of the communication modules in the various devices described throughout may be enabled to communicate as part of a larger network or with other devices to allow for a more intelligent infrastructure. Information gathered by various transceivers may be combined with information from other sources, such as information captured through a video feed of a workspace or an equipment maintenance space. In some instances, a geo-location device, such as a global positioning system (GPS) may be incorporated into any of the systems described herein to provide object location - particularly in locations outside of buildings.

Although the methods and systems of the present disclosure have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

In the present detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. The illustrated embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive of all embodiments according to the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing feature sizes, amounts, and physical properties used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the foregoing specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by those skilled in the art utilizing the teachings disclosed herein.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” encompass embodiments having plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

Spatially related terms, including but not limited to, “proximate,” “distal,” “lower,” “upper,” “beneath,” “below,” “above,” and “on top,” if used herein, are utilized for ease of description to describe spatial relationships of an element(s) to another. Such spatially related terms encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the particular orientations depicted in the figures and described herein. For example, if an object depicted in the figures is turned over or flipped over, portions previously described as below or beneath other elements would then be above or on top of those other elements.

As used herein, when an element, component, or layer for example is described as forming a “coincident interface” with, or being “on,” “connected to,” “coupled with,” “stacked on” or “in contact with” another element, component, or layer, it can be directly on, directly connected to, directly coupled with, directly stacked on, in direct contact with, or intervening elements, components or layers may be on, connected, coupled or in contact with the particular element, component, or layer, for example. When an element, component, or layer for example is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” “directly coupled with,” or “directly in contact with” another element, there are no intervening elements, components or layers for example. The techniques of this disclosure may be implemented in a wide variety of computer devices, such as servers, laptop computers, desktop computers, notebook computers, tablet computers, hand-held computers, smart phones, and the like. Any components, modules or units have been described to emphasize functional aspects and do not necessarily require realization by different hardware units. The techniques described herein may also be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. Any features described as modules, units or components may be implemented together in an integrated logic device or separately as discrete but interoperable logic devices. In some cases, various features may be implemented as an integrated circuit device, such as an integrated circuit chip or chipset. Additionally, although a number of distinct modules have been described throughout this description, many of which perform unique functions, all the functions of all of the modules may be combined into a single module, or even split into further additional modules. The modules described herein are only exemplary and have been described as such for better ease of understanding.

If implemented in software, the techniques may be realized at least in part by a computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed in a processor, performs one or more of the methods described above. The computer-readable medium may comprise a tangible computer-readable storage medium and may form part of a computer program product, which may include packaging materials. The computer- readable storage medium may comprise random access memory (RAM) such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), read-only memory (ROM), non volatile random access memory (NVRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), FLASH memory, magnetic or optical data storage media, and the like. The computer-readable storage medium may also comprise anon-volatile storage device, such as a hard-disk, magnetic tape, a compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disk, holographic data storage media, or other non-volatile storage device.

The term “processor,” as used herein may refer to any of the foregoing structure or any other structure suitable for implementation of the techniques described herein. In addition, in some aspects, the functionality described herein may be provided within dedicated software modules or hardware modules configured for performing the techniques of this disclosure. Even if implemented in software, the techniques may use hardware such as a processor to execute the software, and a memory to store the software. In any such cases, the computers described herein may define a specific machine that is capable of executing the specific functions described herein. Also, the techniques could be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements, which could also be considered a processor.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An exclusion zone monitoring system, comprising: a set of prohibited objects, which comprise objects that are not allowed within an exclusion zone, each prohibited object having at least one associated smart tag having a memory, a processor, and an antenna; at least one transceiver receives that signals from smart tags that are within the exclusion zone; a computer system, having a processor and memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one reader, programmed to receive signals from the at least one transceiver indicative of the presence of a prohibited object within an exclusion zone and to apply exclusion zone rules upon the detection of said prohibited object and determine a first alert state.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: wherein the at least one transceiver provides an interrogation signal to an area that defines the exclusion zone, and the received signals are in response to the interrogation signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the exclusion zone rules include rules that define an override state, which, when applicable, results in the determination of a second alert state that is different than the first alert state.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising: an alert system associated with the exclusion zone and communicatively coupled to the computer system, which provides visual or audible indicia indicative of the presence of a prohibited object within the exclusion zone.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the alert system comprises a smart phone.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the computer system additionally receives worker presence data, which comprises signals indicative of one or more workers present within the exclusion zone.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the worker presence data are received from an access control system associated with entry into the exclusion zone, communicatively coupled to the computer system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the presence of one or more workers within the exclusion zone along with at least one prohibited object defines an override state.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the override state is associated with the presence of an additional object having a smart tag within the exclusion zone.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the additional object comprises an override token.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first alert state defines logic used to alert workers within and proximate to the exclusion zone.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first alert state defines the manner in which associated alert indicia will be activated.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein alert indicia comprise at least one audible and visual alarm within the exclusion zone.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein alert indicia comprise at least one smart phone.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein alert indicia comprise an entry into an event log.

16. A method of detecting the presence of a prohibited object within an exclusion zone, comprising: receiving, via a transceiver that is associated with the exclusion zone, signals from a smart tag that is physically associated with at least one prohibited object, that are indicative of the presence of the at least one prohibited object within the exclusion zone, to define a detection event; applying, with a processor that is coupled to the transceiver, exclusion zone rules in response to the detection event, to determine a first alert state; and, providing signals from the processor to associated alert indicia, to effect the first alert state.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: physically associating a smart tag with the least one prohibited object, by way of at least one adhesive or mechanical means.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein physically associating a smart tag with at least one prohibited object comprises physically coupling the smart tag to a physical analog of the prohibited object.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the physical analog of the prohibited object comprises a cart or carrier or housing of the prohibited object.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the alert indicia comprises an alarm or a smartphone.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving signals indicative of the presence of override objects within the exclusion zone, and on the basis of these received signals, generating a second alert state that is not the same as the first alert state.

22. A method of altering an alarm state associated with the detection of an object in an exclusion zone, comprising: receiving, via a transceiver that is associated with the exclusion zone, signals from a first smart tag indicative of the presence of the at least one prohibited object within the exclusion zone, to define a detection event of a prohibited object, wherein the first smart tag is physically associated with the prohibited object; applying, with a processor that is coupled to the transceiver, exclusion rules to the detection event, to determine a first alert state; and, receiving, via the transceiver, signals from a smart tag associated with at least one override token within the exclusion zone, to define a detection event of an override token within the exclusion zone; upon receiving signals indicative of the override object being present within the exclusion zone, applying, with the processor, override rules to the detection event of the override token, to determine a second alert state that is different than the first alert state.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the override token is associated with a person.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the person comprises a person authorized to be within the exclusion zone with the prohibited object.