Fault detection system with redundant product teach verification
Some embodiments for a fault detection apparatus may include one or more monitors to detect at least three operating states of a sensor, such as pass, fail, and inoperative so as to enable a manufacturing facility to differentiate between situations in which a container does not have the appropriate machine readable label and situations wherein the sensor is actually inoperative. The fail state may be indicative of an object on a conveyor system not matching a predetermined description, identity or characteristic. The pass state may be indicative of an object on a conveyor system matching the predetermined description, identity or characteristic. The inoperative state may be indicative of a sensor output associated with a malfunction in the sensor itself. The fault detection apparatus may also include a fail-to-safe controller configured to detect these operating states.
1. A system comprising:
a controller;
two first sensors that transmit a signal to the controller in response to detecting an object;
a second sensor that obtains data regarding a characteristic of the object and transmits said data regarding the characteristic of the object to the controller, said second sensor being activated by the controller in response to the two first sensors detecting the object,
wherein said controller
determines whether the data regarding the characteristic of the object is associated with the reference data,
in response to a determination that the data regarding the characteristic of the object is associated with the reference data, provides a first output,
in response to a determination that the data regarding the characteristic of the object is not associated with the reference data, provides a second output, different from the first output, and
provides a third output indicative of a malfunction in the two first sensors or the second sensor.
2. The system of claim 1 , the second sensor obtains the data regarding the characteristic of the object from machine readable indicia on the object.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines that the data regarding the characteristic of the object is associated with the reference data in response to data regarding the characteristic of object being identical to the reference data.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second output provided by the controller is an alarm signal.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller causes the object to be moved by a conveyor, and the third output provided by the controller causes the conveyor to halt movement of the object.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller causes the object to be moved by a conveyor along a first direction, and the second output provided by the controller causes the object to move in a second direction, different from the first direction.
7. A system comprising:
a controller;
two first sensors that transmit a signal to the controller in response to detecting an object;
a second sensor that obtains data regarding a characteristic of the object and transmits said data regarding the characteristic of the object to the controller,
wherein said controller
determines whether the data regarding the characteristic of the object is associated with the reference data,
in response to a determination that the data regarding the characteristic of the object is associated with the reference data, provides a first output,
in response to a determination that the data regarding the characteristic of the object is not associated with the reference data, provides a second output, different from the first output,
provides a third output indicative of a malfunction in the two first sensors or the second sensor,
receives an authorization input signal to verify that the reference data has been inputted into the system by an authorized user.
8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a security device that receives the authorization input signal.
9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a memory device that stores the reference data, wherein
the controller adds reference data to the memory when the reference data is received in conjunction with the authorization input signal.
10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a display device that displays the reference data.
11. A system comprising:
means for receiving reference data;
means for comparing the reference data with data encoded in a machine readable indicia of a container positioned on a continuously moving conveyor in a production line to identify a match result or a no match result;
means for receiving an authorization signal encoding data associated with reception of the reference data;
means for verifying, based on the authorization signal, that the reference data has been input into the sensor system correctly or has been input by an authorized user; and
means for selectively generating, based on the verification, a fault notification if the authorization signal is not verified, wherein said fault notification is not generated in the event that the authorization signal is verified.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the fault state is indicative of a failure or malfunction of at least one component of the system.
13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
means for reading the machine readable indicia of the container.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
means for comparing data encoded in the machine readable indicia of the container with the reference data.
15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:
means for identifying the match result or the no match result from the means for comparing.
16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for generating a match signal, wherein container is allowed to continue moving on the conveyor in response to the match signal and the container is not removed from the production line.
17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:
means for generating a remove container signal, wherein the container is removed from the conveyor in response to the remove container signal and the production line does not stop.