Collision avoidance
In a method for avoiding a collision on a job site, information is received regarding a plurality of selected entities on the job site. The information is received at a location independent from the entities. The information is evaluated to determine whether a trigger has occurred. The trigger is associated with a potential collision situation involving an entity of the entities. A collision alert message is issued for the entity if the trigger has occurred.
1. A method for avoiding a collision on a job site, said method comprising:
receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site, said information received at a location independent from said entities;
evaluating said information to determine whether a trigger has occurred, said trigger associated with a potential collision situation involving an entity of said entities, wherein said received information includes operation information received regarding said entity; and
issuing a collision alert message for said entity if said trigger has occurred.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
setting a condition for occurrence of said trigger.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
continuing said receiving and evaluating to determine whether an additional trigger has occurred, said additional trigger associated with an additional potential collision situation involving said entity; and
issuing an additional collision alert message if said additional trigger has occurred.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving said collision alert message at said entity; and
in response to said collision alert message, automatically implementing a collision avoidance action at said entity.
5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein said automatically implementing a collision avoidance action at said entity comprises:
implementing an action from the list of actions consisting of: an operator notification, a visible warning, an audible warning, an intervention into the operation of said entity, and an intervention into the operation of another entity.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving said information in a triplet data format, said triplet data format comprising an entity identification field, a value field, and a units field associated with said value field.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving location information regarding said entity.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said evaluating said information to determine whether a trigger has occurred comprises:
evaluating a location of said entity on said job site to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein said evaluating a location of said entity on said job site to determine whether said trigger has occurred comprises:
comparing said location of said entity with a location of a second entity of said plurality of selected entities to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein said evaluating a location of said entity on said job site to determine whether said trigger has occurred comprises:
comparing said location of said entity to a location of a virtual entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
11. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
evaluating said operation information of said entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
12. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
evaluating operation information of a second entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said issuing a collision alert message for said entity if said trigger has occurred comprises:
wirelessly transmitting said collision alert message from said location independent of said entities.
14. A tangible computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, cause a computing system to perform a method for avoiding a collision on a job site, said method comprising:
receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site, said information received at a location independent from said entities;
evaluating said information to determine whether a trigger has occurred, said trigger associated with a potential collision situation involving an entity of said entities, wherein said evaluating includes comparing a location of said entity to a location of a virtual entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred; and
issuing a collision alert message for said entity if said trigger has occurred.
15. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises:
setting a condition for occurrence of said trigger.
16. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein said method further comprises:
continuing said receiving and evaluating to determine whether an additional trigger has occurred, said additional trigger associated with an additional potential collision situation involving said entity; and
issuing an additional collision alert message if said additional trigger has occurred.
17. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving said information in a triplet data format, said triplet data format comprising an entity identification field, a value field, and a units field associated with said value field.
18. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving location information regarding said entity.
19. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving operation information regarding said entity.
20. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein said evaluating said information to determine whether a trigger has occurred comprises:
evaluating a location of said entity on said job site to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
21. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein said evaluating a location of said entity on said job site to determine whether said trigger has occurred comprises:
comparing said location of said entity with a location of a second entity of said plurality of selected entities to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
22. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , further comprising:
evaluating operation information of said entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
23. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 20 , further comprising:
evaluating operation information of a second entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
24. A collision avoidance system, said system comprising:
a data transceiver configured for receiving information regarding a plurality of entities on a job site;
a real time server coupled with said data transceiver, said real time server configured for providing said information in real time to a subscribed module; and
a collision avoidance module coupled with said real time server and subscribed to receive selected portions of said information, said collision avoidance module configured for evaluating said information for occurrence of a trigger associated with a potential collision situation involving an entity of said entities, said collision avoidance module further configured for issuing a collision alert message to at least one entity upon the occurrence of said trigger.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein said data transceiver is further configured to wirelessly transmit said collision alert message to said at least one entity.
26. The system of claim 24 , wherein said collision avoidance module is located independently from said plurality of entities.
27. The system of claim 24 , wherein said collision avoidance module comprises:
a user interface configured for facilitating user interaction with and modification of settings of said collision avoidance module.
28. The system of claim 27 , wherein said user interface comprises:
a viewer module configured for outputting a viewable rendering of said entities with respect to said job site.
29. The system of claim 27 , wherein said user interface comprises:
an entity assigner configured for allowing assignment of an entity to said job site and modification of characteristics associated with said entity.
30. The collision avoidance system of claim 24 , wherein said collision avoidance module comprises:
a trigger tracker configured for evaluating said information for occurrence of a plurality of triggers.
31. The collision avoidance system of claim 24 , wherein said collision avoidance module comprises:
a collision alert messenger configured for issuing a collision alert message in response to occurrence of one of a plurality of triggers.
32. A job site collision avoidance device, said device comprising:
a means for wirelessly transmitting information regarding an entity with which said device is coupled, said information transmitted to a collision avoidance system located independent from said entity;
a location information source coupled with said means for wirelessly transmitting information, said location information source for providing location information regarding said entity;
a means for wirelessly receiving an collision alert message transmitted to said entity from said collision avoidance system; and
a means for implementing a collision avoidance action to avoid a collision involving said entity and a second entity of said job site, said collision avoidance action initiated in response to receiving said collision alert message.
33. The device of claim 32 , wherein said information comprises said location information.
34. The device of claim 32 , wherein said information comprises operation information.
35. The device of claim 32 , wherein said entity comprises a person.
36. The device of claim 32 , wherein said entity comprises a vehicle.
37. The device of claim 32 , wherein said entity comprises a crane boom.
38. The device of claim 32 , wherein said entity comprises a construction equipment asset.
39. The device of claim 32 , wherein said second entity comprises a physical entity.
40. The device of claim 32 , wherein said second entity comprises a virtual entity.
41. The device of claim 32 , wherein said a means for implementing a collision avoidance action to avoid a collision involving said entity and a second entity of said job site comprises:
a means for notifying an operator.
42. The device of claim 32 , wherein said a means for implementing a collision avoidance action to avoid a collision involving said entity and a second entity of said job site comprises:
a means for providing an audible warning.
43. The device of claim 32 , wherein said a means for implementing a collision avoidance action to avoid a collision involving said entity and a second entity of said job site comprises:
a means for providing a visible warning.
44. The device of claim 32 , wherein said a means for implementing a collision avoidance action to avoid a collision involving said entity and a second entity of said job site comprises:
a means for intervening into the operation of said entity for the purpose of avoiding said collision.
45. A job site collision avoidance device, said device comprising:
a means for wirelessly transmitting information regarding an entity with which said device is coupled, said information transmitted to a collision avoidance system located independent from said entity;
a means for wirelessly receiving an collision alert message transmitted to said entity from said collision avoidance system; and
a means for implementing a collision avoidance action to avoid a collision involving said entity and a second entity of said job site, said collision avoidance action initiated in response to receiving said collision alert message, wherein said second entity is a virtual entity.
46. The device of claim 45 , further comprising a location information source coupled with said means for wirelessly transmitting information, said location information source for providing location information regarding said entity.
47. The device of claim 45 , wherein said information comprises location information.
48. The device of claim 45 , wherein said information comprises operation information.
49. The device of claim 45 , wherein said entity comprises a person.
50. The device of claim 45 , wherein said entity comprises a vehicle.
51. The device of claim 45 , wherein said entity comprises a crane boom.
52. The device of claim 45 , wherein said entity comprises a construction equipment asset.
53. The device of claim 45 , wherein said entity comprises a physical entity.
54. The device of claim 45 , wherein said entity comprises a virtual entity.
55. The device of claim 45 , wherein said means for implementing a collision avoidance action to avoid a collision involving said entity and a second entity of said job site comprises a means selected from the group of means for avoiding a collision action consisting of:
a means for notifying an operator, a means for providing an audible warning, a means for providing a visible warning, and a means for intervening into the operation of said entity for the purpose of avoiding said collision.
56. A method for avoiding a collision on a job site, said method comprising:
receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site, said information received at a location independent from said entities;
evaluating said information to determine whether a trigger has occurred, said trigger associated with a potential collision situation involving an entity of said entities, wherein said evaluating includes comparing a location of said entity to a location of a virtual entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred; and
issuing a collision alert message for said entity if said trigger has occurred.
57. The method as recited in claim 56 , further comprising:
setting a condition for occurrence of said trigger.
58. The method as recited in claim 56 , further comprising:
continuing said receiving and evaluating to determine whether an additional trigger has occurred, said additional trigger associated with an additional potential collision situation involving said entity; and
issuing an additional collision alert message if said additional trigger has occurred.
59. The method as recited in claim 56 , further comprising:
receiving said collision alert message at said entity; and
in response to said collision alert message, automatically implementing a collision avoidance action at said entity.
60. The method as recited in claim 59 , wherein said automatically implementing a collision avoidance action at said entity comprises:
implementing an action from the list of actions consisting of: an operator notification, a visible warning, an audible warning, an intervention into the operation of said entity, and an intervention into the operation of another entity.
61. The method as recited in claim 56 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving said information in a triplet data format, said triplet data format comprising an entity identification field, a value field, and a units field associated with said value field.
62. The method as recited in claim 56 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving location information regarding said entity.
63. The method as recited in claim 56 , wherein said receiving information regarding a plurality of selected entities on a job site comprises:
receiving operation information regarding said entity.
64. The method as recited in claim 56 , wherein said evaluating said information to determine whether a trigger has occurred comprises:
evaluating a location of said entity on said job site to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
65. The method as recited in claim 64 , wherein said evaluating a location of said entity on said job site to determine whether said trigger has occurred comprises:
comparing said location of said entity with a location of a second entity of said plurality of selected entities to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
66. The method as recited in claim 64 , further comprising:
evaluating operation information of said entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
67. The method as recited in claim 64 , further comprising:
evaluating operation information of a second entity to determine whether said trigger has occurred.
68. The method as recited in claim 56 , wherein said issuing a collision alert message for said entity if said trigger has occurred comprises:
wirelessly transmitting said collision alert message from said location independent of said entities.