Patent application EP20177395A (EP), filed 2020-05-29
Publication number: EP3916223A1
Title: OBJECT DETECTION IN AN INTERIOR OF A TURBINE HUB
Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting an object in an interior of a turbine hub. The method comprises emitting a primary light by a light source, sampling at least a part of the interior of the turbine hub by emitting the primary light into different directions, detecting a secondary light by a photon detector, wherein the secondary light corresponds to the primary light reflected in the interior of the turbine hub, generating at least one point cloud based on the secondary light detected by the photon detector, and detecting an object in the interior of the turbine hub based on the at least one point cloud.
IPC codes: F03D  17/    00            A I
F03D   7/    02            A I
G06N  20/    00            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A method (10) for detecting an object (200) that is loosely arranged in an interior of a turbine hub (150) of a turbine, in particular of a wind turbine, the method (10) comprising:
number: 2
text: The method (10) of claim 1 further comprising:
triggering (16) a control action for the turbine in response to detecting the object (200) in the interior of the turbine hub (150).
number: 3
text: The method (10) of claim 2, wherein the control action is at least one of stopping the turbine, reducing a speed of the turbine, or outputting a warning.
number: 4
text: The method (10) of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising:
determining (21) a type of the object (200) based on the at least one point cloud.
number: 5
text: The method (10) of claim 4, and of claim 2 or 3, further comprising:
selecting (22) the control action from a plurality of candidate control actions depending on the type of the object (200) .
number: 6
text: The method (10) of claim 4 or 5, wherein said determining (21) the type of the object (200) comprises determining at least one of a size of the object (200), a material of the object (200), and a weight of the object (200) .
number: 7
text: The method (10) of any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein said determining (21) the type of the object (200) comprises analyzing the at least one point cloud based on a machine-learning algorithm.
number: 8
text: The method (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said detecting (15) of the object (200) in the interior of the turbine hub (150) comprises analyzing the at least one point cloud based on a machine-learning algorithm.
number: 9
text: The method (10) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said generating (14) of at least one point cloud based on the secondary light comprises generating (31) at least two point clouds based on said sampling executed at multiple points in time.
number: 10
text: The method (10) of claim 9, wherein said detecting (15) of the object (200) comprises determining differences between different ones of the at least two point clouds.
number: 11
text: The method (10) of claim 4, and of claim 9 or 10, wherein said determining (21) of the type of the object (200) comprises determining (32) differences between different ones of the at least two point clouds.
number: 12
text: The method (10) of claim 11, further comprising:
quantifying (33) the differences between the different ones of the at least two point clouds with a quantification value.
number: 13
text: The method (10) of claim 12, further comprising:
triggering (16) a control action for the turbine in response to the quantification value being above a threshold value.
number: 14
text: The method (10) of claim 13, wherein the control action is selected from a plurality of candidate control actions depending on a multi-threshold comparison (35) between the quantification value and multiple threshold values, wherein different ones of the multiple threshold values are associated with different ones of the plurality of candidate control actions.
number: 15
text: A calculation unit (330) configured for detecting an object (200) in an interior of a turbine hub (150) of a turbine, in particular of a wind turbine, the calculation unit being configured to
control at least one light source (310) in the turbine hub (150) to emit primary light,
control at least one photon detector (320) in the turbine hub (150) to detect secondary light, wherein the secondary light corresponds to the primary light reflected in the interior of the turbine hub (150),
generate at least one point cloud based on the primary light and the at least one secondary light, and
detect an object (200) in the interior of the turbine hub (150) based on the at least one point cloud.
Office action: search_report, dated 2021-12-01
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
inventive_step_epc_56
Prior art cited: ref_id: US6785637B1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2012321464A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2011293417A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2018171980A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2018171985A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2012321464A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP3623616A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2013300855A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2012321464
ref_type: patent
severity: obviousness
ref_id: US2013300855
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2018171980
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: US2018171985
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: EP3623616
ref_type: patent
severity: obviousness
Final disposition: pending (2021-12-01)