IP Library Granted Patent US 12694771
Granted Patent B2
US 12694771 · App. 18/692,936 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Information sign unit, warning system and method for operating a warning system

Inventor: Anton Pfanner (Hohenems, AT)
Assignee: Pfanner Schutzbekleidung GmbH
G08B13/19613G06V10/82G06V20/52H04N7/183
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12694771
App. No.
18/692,936
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information sign unit includes at least one motion sensor, which detects movements of objects in the environment of the information sign unit, and at least one signal device for outputting different optical and/or acoustic signals. Different optical and/or acoustic signals depends on whether the motion sensor has detected a movement of an object in the environment of the information sign unit. A camera captures a digital image of an object in the environment. An image processing device is provided for processing the digital image with algorithms of a neural network. The algorithms are based on at least one database containing digital images of critical objects and wherein processing of the image with the algorithms delivers a result, which the object in the captured digital image as a critical object with a predefined level of reliability. A warning system and a method for operating a warning system are also provided.

Claims (43)

1 . An information sign unit comprising:

at least one motion sensor, which detects movements of objects in the environment of the information sign unit, and

at least one signal device which is suitable for outputting different optical or acoustic signals,

further comprising a central unit which is suitable for receiving a signal sent via radio from the information sign unit and to then output an information to a user of the central unit,

wherein the type of the different optical or acoustic signals depends on whether the motion sensor has detected a movement of an object in the environment of the information sign unit,

wherein a camera is provided for capturing a digital image of an object in an environment of the information sign unit,

wherein an image processing device is provided for processing the digital image with algorithms of a neural network,

wherein the algorithms are based on at least one database containing digital images of critical objects,

wherein processing the images with the algorithms delivers a result, which identifies the object in the captured digital image as a critical object with a predefined level of reliability, and

wherein the central unit is couplable to a communications unit disposed within a hearing protection of the user so that the information can be output via the hearing protection to the user.

2 . The information sign unit according to claim 1 , wherein the camera is both the motion sensor and an image capturing unit.

3 . A warning system comprising:

an information sign unit comprising:

at least one motion sensor, which detects movements of objects in the environment of the information sign unit, and

at least one signal device which is suitable for outputting different optical or acoustic signals,

wherein the type of the different optical or acoustic signals depends on whether the motion sensor has detected a movement of an object in the environment of the information sign unit,

wherein a camera is provided for capturing a digital image of an object in an environment of the information sign unit,

wherein an image processing device is provided for processing the digital image with algorithms of a neural network,

wherein the algorithms are based on at least one database containing digital images of critical objects, and

wherein processing the images with the algorithms delivers a result, which identifies the object in the captured digital image as a critical object with a predefined level of reliability; and

a central unit which is suitable for receiving a signal sent via radio from the at least one information sign unit and to then output an information to a user of the central unit, and

wherein the central unit is couplable to a communication unit disposed within a hearing protection of the user so that the information can be output via the hearing protection to the user.

4 . The warning system according to claim 3 , wherein a location of the object is detectable with the information sign unit, and in that the optical signal or the acoustic signal or the sent signal are changeable as a function of the detected location.

5 . The warning system according to claim 3 , wherein the central unit is a cellular phone or is couplable to a cellular phone.

6 . The warning system according to claim 5 , wherein the cellular phone is equipped with an application indicating on a display of the cellular phone that a movement of an object has been detected in the environment of the information sign unit.

7 . The warning system according to claim 3 , wherein several information sign units are provided, and in that the type of the information output at the central unit depends on which information sign unit has sent a signal.

8 . The warning system according to claim 3 , wherein the information sign unit comprises an identification module which is suitable for detecting at least one property of the object.

9 . A method for operating a warning system comprising a central unit configured to receive a signal via radio from an information sign unit and to output information to a user, the central unit being couplable to a communication unit disposed within hearing protection of the user so that the information is output via the hearing protection to the user, the warning system comprising

an information sign unit comprising:

at least one motion sensor, which detects movements of objects in the environment of the information sign unit, and

at least one signal device which is suitable for outputting different optical or acoustic signals,

wherein the type of the different optical or acoustic signals depends on whether the motion sensor has detected a movement of an object in the environment of the information sign unit,

wherein a camera is provided for capturing a digital image of an object in an environment of the information sign unit,

wherein an image processing device is provided for processing the digital image with algorithms of a neural network,

wherein the algorithms are based on at least one database containing digital images of critical objects, and

wherein processing the images with the algorithms delivers a result, which identifies the object in the captured digital image as a critical object with a predefined level of reliability, and

a central unit;

the method comprising the steps of:

optically monitoring a monitoring area,

detecting a critical object and a location of the critical object in the monitoring area,

activating a first alarm through the and at the information sign unit,

detecting a critical location change of the object, and

activating a second alarm, which is different from the first alarm, through the and at the information sign unit.