Omron Corporation

Omron Scientific Technologies, Inc.

Omron Scientic Technologies, Inc.

Alejandro Ruiz Sanchez

John Drinkard

Fred Schleifer

Boris Shteynberg

Christopher Alan Dums

Adam Sowul

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.

Safety device configuration cloning

According to a method and apparatus taught herein, an optical sensor uses pattern recognition in its optical detection processing to 'see' detection patterns that correspond to predefined configuration settings. In one embodiment, for example, an optical sensing system selects an operational configuration by detecting a pattern embodied in received light data and comparing the detected pattern to one or more internally stored patterns. Each stored pattern represents a different operational configuration of the optical sensing system. If the detected pattern matches one of the stored patterns, the optical sensing system adopts the operational configuration corresponding to the matched stored pattern. Further, in one or more embodiments, the optical sensing system enters a configuration mode by an external stimulus, e.g., responsive to a configuration mode input, and the aforementioned pattern detection-based configuration selection is enabled only while in the configuration mode.

Apparatus and method for pattern-based configuration of optical sensing systems

Zone selection logic in an area monitoring device increases the number of unique monitoring zone selections that can be selected using a limited number of discrete zone selection inputs, without compromising the safety critical operation of zone selection. The device monitors the logical state of each input in a set of individual inputs and recognizes each unique logical combination of zone selection inputs as a different zone selection. For example, each of two or more configured monitoring zones is associated with a different combinatorial zone selection pattern of asserted zone selection input signals. Correspondingly, a control circuit within the area monitoring device is configured to monitor the discrete zone selection inputs and activate a given one of the configured monitoring zones based on recognizing the associated combinatorial zone selection pattern of asserted zone selection signals.

Method and apparatus for zone selection in area monitoring devices

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Newark, CA, United States of America

Alejandro Ruiz Sanchez