Patents Assigned to Sick AG
  • Patent number: 10394576
    Abstract: To enable a fast configuration of a control or of a total plant, a control for the safe control of at least one machine is provided having at least one input unit for receiving input signals from at least one signal generator; having at least one output unit for outputting output signals to the at least one machine; having a control unit for generating the output signals in dependence on the input signals; and having a connection unit having at least one connection socket for connecting an external input device that can be used or configuring the control, wherein the connection unit has at least one connection terminal for connecting the signal generators and/or the machine and is separable from the control and wherein the connection socket can be removed from the connection unit or from the control and comprises a memory with configuration data of the control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Markus Saumer
  • Patent number: 10395075
    Abstract: An RFID apparatus for communicating with at least one RFID transponder is provided that has an RFID transceiver for radiating and receiving RFID signals and a control unit that is configured to encode RFID information into the RFID signal in accordance with an RFID protocol or to read it from the RFID signal and in which a singulation process is implemented to give a command to only one respective RFID transponder. The singulation process in this respect checks a communication parameter of the RFID signal itself that is independent of RFID information encoded in the RFID signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Olaf Pilzner
  • Patent number: 10393800
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement comprising a control device, an input circuit for applying an input signal, a conditioning circuit electrically connected to the input circuit for converting the input signal into a measured signal, an analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to the conditioning circuit for converting the measured signal into a digital value, and a reference source that outputs a known reference signal. In this respect, a first switching apparatus is provided that selectively separate the input signal from the conditioning circuit or supplies it to the conditioning circuit and a second switching apparatus is provided that selectively supplies the reference signal to the input circuit or separates it from the input circuit, wherein the control device is configured to determine an offset error and to determine a gain error of the circuit arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Igor Bogomolni
  • Patent number: 10333517
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optoelectronic sensor for monitoring a monitored zone. The sensor comprises a main light transmitter for transmitting sensing light signals that propagate through a protective screen into the monitored zone; a main light receiver for receiving light that emanates from the monitored zone; and a control unit for controlling the sensor. The sensor is configured in this respect to carry out a contamination recognition in which the degree of contamination of the protective screen is determined by means of a measured contamination value. The sensor in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the control unit is adapted to recognize the approach of a hand and/or of a finger toward the protective screen with reference to the contamination recognition and to output an action signal on the recognition of the hand and/or of the finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Fabian Jachmann
  • Patent number: 10331977
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the three-dimensional detection of objects, in which an image is detected and is compared to a known reference image and mutually corresponding objects in the images are identified by means of a correlation process. A binarization scheme is used in the correlation process and compares randomly selected point pairs to one another. The point pairs are fixed by means of a plurality of iterations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Armin Hornung, Matthias Neubauer
  • Patent number: 10331995
    Abstract: An antenna (100) for an RFID reading apparatus having a plurality of single antennas (10) of the inverted-F type, wherein the single antennas (10) are arranged in a plane and are arranged tilted with respect to one another within the plane, and having a feed circuit (16) that is connected to the single antennas (10) to control the single antennas (10) to generate a circular polarization having a mutual phase offset corresponding to the tilt is provided. The antenna (100) in this respect has at least four single antennas (10a-d), the single antennas (10a-d) are arranged in a direction of rotation, and the antenna (100) has a common ground plane (20, 28) in parallel with the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Florian Pudenz
  • Patent number: 10309806
    Abstract: A holder for an optoelectronic sensor comprises a first holder part that is configured for fastening to a fixed-position fixing surface and a second holder part that can be coupled to a housing of the optoelectronic sensor, with the second holder part being rotatable relative to the first holder part about a first pivot axis. Provision is made that a receiver for a screwdriver blade is provided at the second holder part and a toothed arrangement is provided at the first holder part, or vice versa, wherein at least one tooth of the toothed arrangement projects into the receiver such that it can be acted on by one blade end of a screwdriver blade introduced into the receiver while supporting the other blade end at an abutment section of the receiver to rotate the second holder part with respect to the first holder part about a first pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Christoph Angenendt, Gerd Allgeier
  • Patent number: 10303381
    Abstract: A method having a safety sensor and a safety sensor having at least one first evaluation unit having a first evaluation program, and at least one second evaluation unit having a second evaluation program. A two-channel system is formed with each evaluation unit being connected to a respective random access memory, and with each evaluation unit having a respective program memory, with a bidirectional communication channel being arranged between the evaluation units. A cross-comparison of the evaluation results can be carried out between the evaluation units, with a user program being able to be stored in at least one of the two program memories and/or in one of the two random access memories, with at least that evaluation unit which executes the user program having a memory protection device which is configured to restrict memory access of the user program to a defined memory region within the random access memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Felix Dreher, Patrick Vollmer
  • Patent number: 10295331
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a hazardous zone (2) and a safe optoelectronic distance sensor (1) for monitoring a hazardous zone (2) at a movable machine part (3) having a protected zone (4), wherein the safe distance sensor (1) is arranged at the movable machine part (3), wherein a tool (5) is arranged at the movable machine part (3), wherein a plurality of distance sensors (1) are arranged in a modular manner and wherein the protected zone (4) is adapted to the tool (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Magnus Albert, Markus Hammes, Jorg Sigmund
  • Patent number: 10263468
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the transmission of data and energy between two objects moving relative to one another about a common axis of rotation. The objects each comprise coils which are disposed opposite and are spaced apart axially with respect to the axis of rotation such that an energy transmission between the coils is possible by inductive coupling. A respective electrode carrier having a respective electrical conductor is provided coaxially to and rotationally fixed with respect to the respective coils, wherein the electrode carriers are disposed opposite and spaced apart axially and the electrical conductors are arranged such that a data transmission between the electrical conductors is possible by electrical coupling. The electrical conductors are circular or part-circular and are concentric to the axis of rotation of the relative movement. In addition, the respective coil windings and electrical conductors are arranged concentric to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Stephan Schmitz, Martin Kufner, Michael Kerp, Boris Szerbakowski, Gregor Huber
  • Patent number: 10197439
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor for recognizing objects or object properties comprises a light transmitter for transmitting transmitted light into a detection zone, a light receiver for receiving received light and an evaluation unit which is configured to detect an object located in or projecting into a detection zone and/or to determine a property of such an object with reference to the received light received by the light receiver. The light transmitter comprises a monolithic semi-conductor component having a first light emitting layer and a second light emitting layer, with the first light emitting layer being configured for emitting red light and the second light emitting layer being configured for emitting infrared light, and with the second light emitting layer defining a central light emitting surface and the first light emitting layer defining an outer light emitting surface surrounding the central light emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Ingolf Horsch, Gerhard Merettig, Roland Bergbach, Felix Lang, Gunter Leuker
  • Patent number: 10156504
    Abstract: An apparatus for optical in-situ gas analysis includes: a housing; a measuring lance a first end connected to the housing and a second end projecting into the gas to be measured; a light transmitter that is arranged in the housing and whose light is conducted into the measuring lance and is reflected by a reflector arranged at the second end onto a light receiver, and the optical path defines an optical measurement path within the measuring lance; and, an evaluation device for evaluating received light signals of the light receiver. In order to be able to reduce the consumption of test gas, the measuring lance has an outer tube, with the outer tube having openings for the gas to be measured. The openings can be closed by at least one seal for the test phase, with the seal searingly closing the openings by the enlargement of its volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Florian Brüchig, Ingo Schiffler, Jürgen Kaufmann
  • Patent number: 10151837
    Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor for the distance measurement of objects (2) in a monitored zone (4) using a time of flight method, having a light receiver (5) for receiving light from the monitored zone (4) and for outputting received signals (10), and having an evaluation unit (12) for determining the time of flight from the received signals (10), wherein the light receiver (5) is an image sensor (6) having a plurality of light reception elements (8) which are arranged in a planar manner in a matrix, wherein a first optical element (14) is arranged in front of at least one light reception element (8), with the first optical element (14) having a filter element (18) of a filter array (24), wherein at least respective first filter elements (20) and at least respective second filter elements (22) have different optical attenuations and/or the first optical element (14) has a lens (28) of a fly's eye optics (26), with the fly's eye optics (26) having a plurality of lenses (28), with a respective lens (28) being associa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Sick AG
    Inventors: Jorg Sigmund, Markus Hammes
  • Patent number: 10141746
    Abstract: A cascade of safety switches includes safety switches for the monitoring of accesses of an automation system, at least one connection unit for the arrangement between two safety switches, and a terminator for the termination of the cascade of safety switches. Each safety switch has a first conductor and a second conductor. The first conductor includes conductor cores for transmitting signals and for receiving voltage. The second conductor includes conductor cores for receiving signals and for forwarding the voltage. The connection unit has a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is provided for receiving the signals of a subsequent safety switch and for forwarding the signals of the subsequent safety switch to an upstream safety switch and the second circuit is provided for connecting the connection unit to a voltage source and to a conductor core for receiving the voltage of the subsequent safety switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Adrian Schwarz, Shinde Geeta, Victor Kok Heng Phay
  • Patent number: 10132929
    Abstract: A light scanner in accordance with the principle of the time of flight having at least one light transmitter (2) which transmits consecutive light pulses (3) into a measured zone (5) and having at least one light receiver (4) which receives the light pulses (3) reflected at an object (6) in the measured zone (5) and supplies them in the form of received electrical signals to a control and evaluation unit (7) which determines a distance signal representative of the distance (8) of the object (6) from the light scanner (1) while taking account of the speed of light between the transmission and reception of the light pulse (3), wherein the light receiver (4) has at least one single photon avalanche diode (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Magnus Albert, Jörg Sigmund
  • Patent number: 10126416
    Abstract: A light grid in accordance with the time of flight principle having at least one light transmitter (2) which transmits light signals (3) into a measured zone (5) and having at least one light receiver (4) which receives the light signals (3) reflected from the measured zone (5) and supplies them in the form of received electrical signals to a control and evaluation unit (7) which determines a distance signal representative of the distance (8) of objects (6) from the light grid (1) from the time between the transmission and the reception of the light signal (3) while taking account of the speed of light, with the light receiver (4) having at least one single photon avalanche diode (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Magnus Albert, Jörg Sigmund
  • Patent number: 10127748
    Abstract: A system having a mobile key unit (2) for reading and writing data from at least one external device (3) of a facility (4), wherein the data at least comprise identification data for the device (3) to be checked, and wherein the mobile key unit (2) has a first transmission/reception unit (5) by means of which the data can be transmitted wirelessly between the device (3) and the key unit (2), wherein the key unit (2) has a first memory (6), the key unit (2) has at least one secure channel (7) having a first evaluation unit (8) and the first transmission/reception unit (5) and has at least one second channel (12) having a second evaluation unit (13) and a second transmission/reception unit (10) by means of which data can be wirelessly transferred between the device (3) and the key device (2), wherein the data can at least be transmitted using one of the transmission/reception units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Fabio Brunner
  • Patent number: 10119906
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining the concentration of a gas component comprising the steps: generating and guiding a light beam having a wavelength variable in a wavelength range through a measurement volume in which the gas component having an absorption in the wavelength range is present; tuning the wavelength range; detecting the intensity of the light beam after passage through the measurement volume; storage of measurement points during the tuning that respectively consist of a point in time and an associated intensity value, to obtain a direct absorption line; generating an artificial measurement curve from the stored measurement points by shifting the measurement points on the time axis; wherein the shift takes place so that an artificial modulation results in the wavelength time extent; and evaluating the artificial measurement curve in accordance with the method of the wavelength modulation spectroscopy and determining a first concentration value therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Thomas Beyer, Julian Edler
  • Patent number: 10114346
    Abstract: To simplify a configuration of an automation system for a customer, a configuration apparatus for configuring an automation system of a customer is provided that comprises device components of one or more manufacturers, having a first software tool that is provided for inputting user data in customer-specific terminology is provided and stores the input user data in a data management sector; having a second software tool that is provided for receiving the user data and that has a calculation unit for determining configuration data from the user data, wherein the second software tool has at least one mapping algorithm that prepares the stored user data for the calculation unit into manufacturer-specific terminology, and wherein a storage of the user data and a storage of the configuration data by the second software tool can be carried out separately from the data management sector of the first software tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Jörg Moddemann, Kllaus Weddingfeld
  • Patent number: 10114989
    Abstract: An RFID reading apparatus (18) for bin occupancy recognition in a shelf (10) is provided having at least one antenna (16), an RF transceiver (20) connected to the antenna (16), a control and evaluation unit (22) that is configured to communicate with an RFID transponder (24) by means of RFID signals via the RF transceiver (20) and the antenna (16), and having at least one additional sensor (24) for detecting objects at or in the shelf (10). In this respect, the control and evaluation unit (22) is configured to recognize and locally associate changes of the bin occupancy from a combination of information of the antenna (16) and information of the additional sensor (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Michael Fislage, Alexander Guenther