Patent Publication Number: US-2009224871-A1

Title: Method for identifying operating authority of workers

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention generally relates to an identifying method, and particularly to a method for identifying operating authority of a worker. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In a metal manufacturing factory, there are many operation workers, program writers and maintenance workers. Because of operating safety and/or security each kind of workers may have different operating authority of a controller of a machine tool. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a method for identifying operating authority of a worker. 
     SUMMARY 
     A method for identifying operating authority of a worker comprising: electronically connecting an interrogator to a controller; providing a transponder in the possession of worker with data of operating authority stored in the transponder; the interrogator reading the data in the transponder and delivering the data to the controller. The controller determines a level of operating authority of the worker according to the data. The controller allowing access only to operating functions associated with the determined level of operating authority. 
     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow chart of a method for identifying operating authority of a worker in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram of an identifying system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a method for identifying operating authority of a worker in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided. The method includes the following steps. 
     Step S 40 : referring to  FIG. 2 , an interrogator  10  is electronically connected to a controller  30 . The interrogator  10  is mounted on a panel  31  of the controller  30 . 
     Step S 41 : a transponder  20  is provided and operating authority data is stored in the transponder  20 . The operating authority data includes personal data and a level of operating authority of a worker in possession of the transponder  20 . The level of operating authority of a worker may be defined according to their job, such as operation worker, program writer or maintenance worker. 
     Step S 42 : the interrogator  10  reads the data in the transponder  20  and delivers the data to the controller  30 . When a worker with the transponder  20  is present within a predetermined range of the interrogator  10 , the interrogator  10  reads the personal data and the level of operating authority of the transponder  20  and delivers the data to the controller  30 . 
     Step S 43 : the controller  30  determines the level of operating authority of the worker according to the data of operating authority of the transponder  20 . 
     Step S 44 : the controller  30  provides access to operating functions to the worker associated with their level of operating authority. 
     In this embodiment, the interrogator  10  uses radio frequency identification technology to read the operating authority data of the transponder  20 . Communications between the interrogator  10  and the transponder  20  may be accomplished by any other conventional means known in the art. 
     Finally, it is to be understood that the above-described embodiment are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. Variations may be made to the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. The above-described embodiment illustrate the scope of the invention but do not restrict the scope of the invention.