IP Library Granted Patent US 12,008,148
Granted Patent B2
US 12,008,148 · App. 17/593,216 · Granted Jun 11, 2024

Safety device configuration cloning

Inventor: Alejandro Ruiz Sanchez (Newark, CA)
Assignee: OMRON Corporation
G06F21/73G06F21/44
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,008,148
App. No.
17/593,216
Granted
Jun 11, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

This application describes a method operable by a safety unit that comprises a safety sensor, the sensor configured to perform a safety feature based on one or more sensor parameters. The method may involve accessing a memory card, the card having stored thereon a password, a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to the sensor. The method may involve determining, based on the flag, that the parameter set is not unique to the sensor. The method may involve determining whether the password stored on the card matches a sensor password of the sensor. The method may involve, in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, writing a sensor serial number of the sensor onto the card.

Claims (67)

1. A system configured to facilitate safety sensor configuration, the system comprising:

an automated device comprising a safety sensor configured to perform a safety feature based on one or more sensor parameters, wherein a sensor serial number and a sensor password are linked with the safety sensor;

a removable memory card configured to be accessed by the automated device and having stored thereon a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to the automated device;

a processor coupled to the safety sensor; and

a memory storing computer-executable instructions, wherein execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to determine, based on the flag, whether the parameter set is unique to the automated device or not;

when the processor determines that the parameter set is not unique to the automated device, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:

determine whether a password stored on the card matches the sensor password; and

in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, configure the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set from the card, and

when the processor determines that the parameter set is unique to the automated device, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:

determine whether information in the flag corresponds to the sensor serial number; and

in response to the information in the flag corresponding to the sensor serial number, configure the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flag comprises a serial number field of the card.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein to determine that the information in the flag corresponds to the sensor serial number, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to determine that a serial number stored in the serial number field of the card matches the sensor serial number.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein to determine that the parameter set is not unique to the automated device, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to determine that the serial number field of the card is blank.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:

in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, write the sensor serial number into the serial number field of the card.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein to configure the safety sensor, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to update the one or more sensor parameters based on the parameter set.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein to configure the safety sensor, the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to copy the parameter set from the card into the memory.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:

perform a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) on at least one of the flag, the password, or the parameter set stored on the card to ensure data integrity.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:

in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, delete the password stored on the card.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:

in response to the password stored on the card not matching the sensor password, stop configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set to prevent an unauthorized configuring of the safety sensor.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory is part of the safety sensor.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the safety sensor comprises a safety laser scanner; and

the parameter set comprises one or more of response time, operating mode, protection boundary definition, zone switching parameters, object resolution, or input and output configuration.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the automated device comprises an automated guide vehicle.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the automated device comprises a robotic arm.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the safety sensor comprises one of a safety light curtain, a single-beam safety sensor, a limit switch, a stop switch, a safety relay, or a safety network controller.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the password stored on the card comprises an encrypted password.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parameter set is shared among a fleet of devices, each device of the fleet of devices configured to receive a corresponding card having stored thereon a corresponding password and the parameter set.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to:

in response to the information in the flag not corresponding to the sensor serial number, prevent configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set.

19. A method operable by a safety sensor, the safety sensor configured to perform a safety feature based on one or more sensor parameters, the method comprising:

accessing a memory card, the card having stored thereon a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor;

determining, based on the flag, whether the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor or not;

when the parameter set is determined not to be unique to the safety sensor based on the flag, the method further comprising:

determining that a password stored on the card matches a sensor password of the safety sensor; and

in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, writing a sensor serial number of the safety sensor onto the card, and

when the parameter set is determined to be unique to the safety sensor based on the flag, the method further comprising:

determining that information in the flag corresponds to a sensor serial number of the safety sensor; and

in response to the information in the flag corresponding to the sensor serial number, configuring the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the flag comprises a serial number field; and

determining that the parameter set is not unique to the safety sensor comprises determining that the serial number field is blank.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein writing the sensor serial number onto the card comprises overwriting the serial number field with the sensor serial number.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, configuring the safety sensor to perform the safety feature based on the parameter set.

23. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, deleting the password stored on the card.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

in response to the password stored on the card not matching the sensor password, preventing configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the flag comprises a serial number field of the card.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining that the information in the flag corresponds to the sensor serial number comprises determining that a serial number stored in a serial number field of the card matches the sensor serial number.

27. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

in response to the information in the flag not corresponding to the sensor serial number, preventing configuration of the safety sensor based on the parameter set.

28. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause at least one computing device to:

access a memory card, the card having stored thereon a parameter set, and a flag indicative of whether the parameter set is unique to a safety sensor;

determine, based on the flag, whether the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor or not;

when the at least one computing device determines that the parameter set is not unique to the safety sensor, execution of the instructions further causes the at least one computing device to:

determine whether a password stored on the card matches a sensor password of the safety sensor; and

in response to the password stored on the card matching the sensor password, write a sensor serial number of the safety sensor onto the card, and

when the at least one computing device determines that the parameter set is unique to the safety sensor, the execution of the instructions further causes the at least one computing device to:

determine whether information in the flag corresponds to a sensor serial number of the safety sensor; and

in response to the information in the flag corresponding to the sensor serial number, configure the safety sensor to perform a safety feature based on the parameter set.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: OMRON SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: OMRON ROBOTICS AND SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 065913/0434 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: OMRON ROBOTICS AND SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066076/0633 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2023
From: SANCHEZ, ALEJANDRO RUIZ
To: OMRON SCIENTIFIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 064778/0627 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 9, 2023
From: RUIZ, ALEJANDRO
To: RUIZ, SANDRA
Reel/Frame 064540/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 9, 2023
From: RUIZ SANCHEZ, ALEJANDRO
To: RUIZ, ALEJANDRO
Reel/Frame 064545/0124 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62819406 · Mar 15, 2019
Related Publication 20220180002A1 · Jun 9, 2022