Systems and methods for collision avoidance

{
  "publication_number": "US10636308B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Systems and methods for collision avoidance",
  "abstract": "Systems and methods for collision avoidance include a plurality of sensors respectively disposed on a plurality of movable objects, wherein each sensor is configured to transmit signals indicating the location of the movable object. The system further includes a receiver configured to receive the transmitted signals and a controller in communication with the receiver. The controller is configured to monitor the received signals from the plurality of sensors indicating the locations of the movable objects to determine a direction of travel of each movable object based on locations of the movable objects over time. The controller is further configured to determine an intersection region of the direction of travel of at least two movable objects and generate an output signal to provide an alert at the intersection region of the at least two movable objects, when at least one movable object is within a predetermined proximity of the intersection region.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system comprising: a plurality of sensors configured to transmit signals indicating a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of movable objects, each sensor of the plurality of sensors corresponding to a particular movable object of the plurality of movable objects; a receiver configured to receive the signals; and a controller in communication with the receiver, the controller configured to perform operations including: determining a direction of travel of each movable object based on the signals; determining an intersection region of at least two movable objects of the plurality of movable objects; initiating movement of an alert device based on the intersection region, wherein the alert device is distinct from the at least two movable objects and the plurality of sensors, and wherein the alert device is not coupled to any of the at least two movable objects; and transmitting an output signal to the alert device when at least one movable object of the at least two movable objects is within a predetermined proximity distance of the intersection region, wherein the output signal causes the alert device to provide an alert.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert device comprises a projection device configured as an illuminating device for projecting the alert as a lighted indicia at the intersection region, wherein the lighted indicia is projected at a plurality of portions of the intersection region, the plurality of portions including a first portion at a first end of the intersection region and a second portion at a second end of the intersection region, the first end opposite of the second end.",
    "3. The system of claim 2, wherein the projection device is controlled by the controller to move as the intersection region moves responsive to a change in the intersection region caused by movement of the at least two movable objects.",
    "4. The system of claim 2, wherein the lighted indicia comprises an alert message, and wherein the light indicia is projected on a floor.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second alert device configured to generate an audible alert or a tactile alert when the at least one movable object is within the predetermined proximity distance of the intersection region.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database defining a safety radius for each type of object of a plurality of types of objects, wherein the plurality of types of objects are defined based on a corresponding mass, and wherein the intersection region is determined based on a first safety radius of a first movable object of the at least two movable objects.",
    "7. The system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined proximity distance corresponds to a second safety radius of a second movable object of the at least two movable objects, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the output signal to provide the alert when the first safety radius overlaps with the second safety radius.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the two movable objects is a human.",
    "9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one radio-frequency sensor and at least one global positioning system sensor.",
    "10. A method comprising: receiving, at a controller from a plurality of sensors, signals indicating a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of movable objects, each sensor of the plurality of sensors corresponding to a particular movable object of the plurality of movable objects; determining, by the controller, a direction of travel of each movable object based on the signals; determining, by the controller, an intersection region of at least two movable objects of the plurality of movable objects; initiating movement of an alert device based on the intersection region, wherein the alert device is distinct from the at least two movable objects and the plurality of sensors, and wherein the alert device is not coupled to any of the at least two movable objects; and transmitting an output signal to the alert device when at least one movable object of the at least two movable objects is within a predetermined proximity distance of the intersection region, wherein the output signal causes the alert device to provide an alert.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, further comprising emitting with a projection device a lighted indicia at the intersection region of the at least two movable objects.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, further comprising moving the projection device in response to the intersection region moving as the movable objects move.",
    "13. The method of claim 11, further comprising projecting the lighted indicia on a floor.",
    "14. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating an audible or tactile alert when the at least one movable object is within the predetermined proximity distance of the intersection region.",
    "15. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying a safety radius for each movable object of the plurality of movable objects based on a corresponding mass, and wherein the intersection region is based on a corresponding safety radius for each of the two movable objects.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined proximity distance corresponds to a particular safety radius of a first movable object of the at least two movable objects.",
    "17. The method of claim 10, wherein a first movable object of the two movable objects is a person.",
    "18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a plurality of sensors, signals indicating a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of movable objects, each sensor of the plurality of sensors corresponding to a particular movable object of the plurality of movable objects; determining a direction of travel of each movable object based on the signals; determining an intersection region of at least two movable objects of the plurality of movable objects; initiating movement of an alert device based on the intersection region, wherein the alert device is distinct from the at least two movable objects and the plurality of sensors, wherein the alert device is coupled to a structure, and wherein the alert device is not coupled to any of the at least two movable objects; and transmitting an output signal to the alert device when at least one movable object of the at least two movable objects is within a predetermined proximity distance of the intersection region, wherein the output signal causes the alert device to provide an alert.",
    "19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the intersection region includes a first intersection region and a second intersection region, the first intersection region determined to have a higher probability of a collision than the second intersection region, wherein the alert includes a first notification in the first intersection region and a second notification in the second intersection region.",
    "20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first notification includes a first colored light projected onto the first intersection region, and wherein the second notification includes a second colored light projected onto the second intersection region."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates in general to systems and methods for collision avoidance, particularly in a factory or large building environment.\n\nCranes, forklift trucks, automated equipment, robots, and other hazards within a building, such as a factory, can have a direct impact on the health and safety of individuals within the building. Environments with a high-density of large parts, tooling, and assembly equipment pose a particularly difficult safety challenge because of the associated momentum of the larger objects, which can lead to potential near misses with individuals or other objects in the building, and in some cases, could result in impact with the individuals.\n\nHuman reaction time is limited by the human speed to process the warnings and complexity of things known and things that can be seen and heard. This process is challenging, for example, in a factory environment due to noise reduction devices (e.g., ear plugs, music headphones, etc.) and also limited by line-of-sight threats.\n\nThus, individuals who work in manufacturing facilities, industrial yards, warehouses, and outdoor storage facilities in the proximity of industrial equipment are challenged with daily safety concerns. It would be desirable to identify and warn these individuals of potential conditions that could result in impact of the individual with a moving object.",
  "cpc": [
    "G08G 1/164",
    "B60Q 1/525",
    "B60Q 9/008",
    "B66F 17/003",
    "B66F 9/0755",
    "B66F 9/24",
    "G01S 5/0018",
    "G06K 9/00362",
    "G06K 9/00771",
    "G06K 9/3233",
    "G06V 20/52",
    "G06V 40/10",
    "G08G 1/166"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B66F 17/00",
    "B66F 9/075",
    "B66F 9/24",
    "G06K 9/00",
    "G06K 9/32",
    "G08G 1/16"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Boeing Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "John William Glatfelter",
    "David Lee HOWICK"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-05-18",
  "publication_date": "2020-04-28",
  "grant_date": "2020-04-28",
  "priority_date": "2016-05-18",
  "application_number": "US-201615158160-A",
  "family_id": "59201732",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
  "citations": [
    "US20020163444A1",
    "US7232236B2",
    "US20090108182A1",
    "US20110093134A1",
    "JP2010277123A",
    "US20120025964A1",
    "US20120025965A1",
    "US20130054032A1",
    "US20140210643A1",
    "US20140005929A1",
    "JP2015125669A",
    "US20160046308A1",
    "US20160339934A1",
    "US20160097849A1",
    "WO2016070193A1",
    "US20160211974A1",
    "US20170369288A1"
  ]
}