Time of flight system and method for safety-rated collision avoidance
US11669092B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 2019 |
| Grant date | Jun 6, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/10028
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A safety system for autonomously mobile machinery (e.g., automated guided vehicles) achieves safety-rated collision avoidance functionality by detecting objects located in the field of view of a three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) vision system or camera. Incorporating a 3D TOF camera into a collision avoidance system allows a large volume to be monitored for object intrusion, improving reliability of object detection. To ensure reliability of the safety system's obstacle detection capabilities, the collision avoidance system also includes self-diagnostic capabilities that verify the accuracy of the TOF camera's distance measurements even in the absence of a test object within the camera's field of view. This is achieved by tilting the TOF camera downward to include the floor within the camera's field of view, allowing the floor to act as a test object that can be leveraged to verify accuracy of the camera's distance measurements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.