Patent ID: 12209927

DESCRIPTION

1 System Overview

Referring toFIG.1, a protective equipment monitoring system100is configured to monitor interactions between protective equipment102A-F, stock handling equipment104(e.g., a forklift or an automated guided vehicle (AGV)), and other entities (not shown) at a facility105. The protective equipment monitoring system provides data characterizing those interactions to a user (e.g., a facility manager)106who uses the data characterizing the interactions to, for example, replace damaged protective equipment or reconfigure the protective equipment102A-F.

The protective equipment monitoring system100includes a number of sensors108attached to corresponding ones of the protective equipment102A-F or the equipment handling machinery104, a local facility monitor110, a central monitor112, and a data store114. Although facility monitor110is shown as being within facility105, it might be external to the facility but within wireless communication of the protective equipment105A-F.

The sensors108monitor interactions between the protective equipment102A-F, the stock handling machinery104, and any other entities present in a facility105and wirelessly report sensor data to the facility monitor110. In some examples, the facility monitor110receives the sensor data and transmits the sensor data over a network (e.g., the internet116to a cellular device111)116to the central monitor112located outside of the facility (e.g., in the ‘cloud’).

In some examples, the central monitor112processes the received sensor data and determines whether to issue one or more alerts to the user106. For example, and as is described in greater detail below, if a sensor detects that one of the protective equipment102A-F has been struck with a force exceeding a predetermined threshold, the central monitor112transmits a notification (e.g., over the internet112) to the user106to inspect the struck protective equipment.

In another example, the central monitor112aggregates the sensor data in the data store114and processes the aggregated data to provide the user with patterns and trends that are identified in the aggregated data, as is described in greater detail below.

In yet another example, sensor data from sensors108attached to stock handling equipment104can be correlated with sensor data from sensors108attached to protective equipment102A-F to determine which stock handling equipment104(and which drivers) are striking the protective equipment102A-F.

2 Sensor

Referring toFIG.2, in one example, each of the sensors108includes a radio module218, a microcontroller220, an impact sensor222, a memory module224, and an optional GPS module226. The impact sensor222and the optional GPS module226provide data to the microcontroller220which, in some examples, stores the data (or a processed version of the data) in the memory module224. The microcontroller220reads the data from the memory module224and uses the radio module218to transmit the sensor data over a radio frequency (RF) link to the facility monitor110ofFIG.1.

In some examples, the radio module218uses WiFi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communications (NFC) or Cellular protocols to communicate with the facility monitor110via an antenna228. In other examples, the radio module218uses a proprietary radio frequency communication protocol such as Banner Engineering's SureCross frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS), time division multiple access (TDMA) communication protocol. More generally, the radio module218can use any communication protocol suitable for transmitting the sensor data to the facility monitor110. In some examples, the radio module218employs encryption algorithms to communicate securely.

In some examples, the impact sensor222includes an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope for measuring an acceleration or an acceleration vector (e.g., in g-force or “g's”) exerted on the sensor108. In some examples, the impact sensor222is capable of measuring into the 100's of “g's.”

The GPS module226is configured to interface with one or more antennae228(possibly separate from the antenna used by the radio module218) to identify a global position of the sensor108. In some examples of the sensor108, the GPS module226is not needed and is either omitted or disabled.

In some examples, the memory module224stores sensor data until it is transmitted and then deletes the sensor data. In other examples, the memory module224stores a predetermined amount of sensor data or stores sensor data for a predetermined amount of time. (e.g., a running log of sensor data).

The microcontroller220can include any microcontroller that is suitable for interfacing with the GPS module226, the impact sensor222, the memory module224, and the radio218.

In some examples, the sensor108includes an adhesive or a connector (not shown) that facilitates attachment to a protective equipment element or stock handling equipment.

3 Data Processing and Aggregation

As is noted above, in some examples, sensor data from various sensors108in a facility105can be aggregated and used to identify trends and/or patterns in the data.

For example, a particular protective equipment element (e.g., a bollard) may be struck relatively lightly, but repeatedly. By analyzing aggregated sensor data for that bollard (e.g., using the central monitor112), the monitoring system100may determine that the cumulative stress applied to the protective equipment device has damaged the device to an extent that it needs to be replaced.

In another example, the sensors108can be placed around a facility prior to protective equipment devices being installed. The data gathered from those sensors108can be used to determine an optimal configuration of protective equipment devices for the facility.

In another example, sensors108are placed on critical facility equipment (e.g., a hydrogen recharging station for forklifts) and used to monitor small levels of impacts that may affect the overall safety of the critical facility equipment. For example, impacts on the critical facility equipment that exceed small (e.g., 5 “g's”) predetermined threshold will result in a notification being sent to the user106.

More generally, the central monitor112can associate different thresholds with different sensors108. For example, a sensor108on critical facility equipment such as a hydrogen recharging station may have a very small impact threshold associated with it such that any small impact will result in the user (e.g., facility manager)106being notified of the impact. On the other hand, a sensor108on a column protector may have a higher impact threshold associated with it such that only large or repeated impacts with heavy vehicles result in the user106being notified.

When multiple stock handling vehicles (e.g., multiple forklifts and/or AGVs) are present in a facility, they may each have a sensor108placed thereon. Collisions between the stock handling vehicles can then also be monitored.

In some examples, the aggregated data my indicate that certain types of protective equipment (e.g., short bollards) are more likely to be struck than other types (e.g., tall bollards). Such information can be useful in reconfiguring protective equipment at the facility and in designing new and improved protective equipment.

In some examples, sensor data is aggregated so it can later be displayed as either a cumulative or non-cumulative display of impacts over time.

Referring toFIG.3, in some examples, the aggregated sensor data for a facility105can be processed to generate a heatmap that graphically displays how often and/or hard protective equipment devices302in the facility305is struck. Such a map can help identify “hot spots” (e.g., greyed area330) where the equipment configuration of the facility305should be reevaluated to determine if a reconfiguration, signage, or another mitigating approach would reduce accidents.

In some examples, the sensor data includes directional information in addition to acceleration information such that direction of impact can be shown in the heatmaps or in other presentations of sensor data to the user.

4 Miscellaneous Features

In some examples, a user interface (e.g., a cell phone application or a PC application) can be used to display sensor data to the user. In the user interface, the severity of impacts can be shown using colors (e.g., red indicating a severe impact, yellow indicating a less severe but significant impact, and green representing non-severe impact.)

In some examples, the sensor includes a power supply and is powered from the power grid. In other examples, the sensor is battery powered. The battery may last a number of years (e.g., 2-5 years) when used in the sensor.

In some examples, the sensor is integrated into protective equipment elements rather than being affixed thereto.

In some examples, the sensor is waterproof. In other examples, the sensor is water resistant and/or weather resistant.

In some examples, the sensor is configured to operate over a wide variety of temperature and humidity ranges (e.g., −50 F to 130 F and 0%-100% humidity).

In some examples, each sensor is associated with a unique identifier such that it can be uniquely identified and tracked in the equipment monitoring system.

In some examples, the central monitor and data store are eliminated, and the facility monitor performs the functions of the central monitor and the data store locally at the facility.

The sensors are described above as wirelessly communicating the sensor data. However, it should be noted that at least some of the sensors may use wired connections (e.g., Ethernet) to communicate the sensor data.

In some examples, the sensors communicate sensor data once per day unless an impact exceeding a certain threshold is exceeded. In the case of an impact exceeding the threshold, the sensor data is transmitted immediately.

5 Implementations

The approaches described above can be implemented, for example, using a programmable computing system executing suitable software instructions or it can be implemented in suitable hardware such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or in some hybrid form. For example, in a programmed approach the software may include procedures in one or more computer programs that execute on one or more programmed or programmable computing system (which may be of various architectures such as distributed, client/server, or grid) each including at least one processor, at least one data storage system (including volatile and/or non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), at least one user interface (for receiving input using at least one input device or port, and for providing output using at least one output device or port). The software may include one or more modules of a larger program, for example, that provides services related to the design, configuration, and execution of dataflow graphs. The modules of the program (e.g., elements of a dataflow graph) can be implemented as data structures or other organized data conforming to a data model stored in a data repository.

The software may be stored in non-transitory form, such as being embodied in a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or any other non-transitory medium, using a physical property of the medium (e.g., surface pits and lands, magnetic domains, or electrical charge) for a period of time (e.g., the time between refresh periods of a dynamic memory device such as a dynamic RAM). In preparation for loading the instructions, the software may be provided on a tangible, non-transitory medium, such as a CD-ROM or other computer-readable medium (e.g., readable by a general or special purpose computing system or device), or may be delivered (e.g., encoded in a propagated signal) over a communication medium of a network to a tangible, non-transitory medium of a computing system where it is executed. Some or all of the processing may be performed on a special purpose computer, or using special-purpose hardware, such as coprocessors or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or dedicated, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The processing may be implemented in a distributed manner in which different parts of the computation specified by the software are performed by different computing elements. Each such computer program is preferably stored on or downloaded to a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., solid state memory or media, or magnetic or optical media) of a storage device accessible by a general or special purpose programmable computer, for configuring and operating the computer when the storage device medium is read by the computer to perform the processing described herein. The inventive system may also be considered to be implemented as a tangible, non-transitory medium, configured with a computer program, where the medium so configured causes a computer to operate in a specific and predefined manner to perform one or more of the processing steps described herein.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the following claims. Accordingly, other embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims. For example, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, some of the steps described above may be order independent, and thus can be performed in an order different from that described.