Oct 20, 2026

US12768610 - System and method for safety signaling using optical fibers

A safety signaling system comprises a panel including an HMI for setting first operator safety condition to one of VOTE and NO VOTE, a first optical transceiver for connection to a first optical fiber and a second optical transceiver for connection to a second optical fiber. Panel control circuitry connected between HMI and first transceiver activates first transceiver to transmit continuous wave (CW) light signal into first optical fiber only while HMI sets first operator safety condition to VOTE. A remote interface includes a third optical transceiver for connection to first optical fiber, a fourth optical transceiver for connection to second optical fiber, and remote interface control circuitry connected to third transceiver. The interface control circuitry sets a first received safety condition to VOTE only while CW light signal is received by third transceiver and uses the first received safety condition to determine a current first remote safety condition.

Assignee: KORD TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Inventors: David Benjamin Allison, Anthony Edward Megna
Filing date: 2024-04-17

The patent describes a safety signaling system that utilizes optical fibers to transmit light signals indicative of operator safety conditions between an operator panel and a remote interface. The system includes voltage-to-light converters and light-to-voltage converters to ensure that safety conditions are accurately communicated and monitored.

Claim 1

1 . A safety signaling system comprising: a first voltage to light converter (VTLC) disposed at an operator panel, the first VTLC configured to output a first light signal of a predetermined first light frequency only when receiving a predetermined first voltage indicative of a first operator safety condition set to a first value; a first optical fiber operatively connected at a first end to the first VTLC to receive the first light signal outputted by the first VTLC and to propagate the first light signal to a second end; a first light to voltage converter (LTVC) disposed at a remote interface, the first LTVC operatively connected to the second end of the first optical fiber to receive the first light signal, the first LTVC configured to output a predetermined second voltage only when receiving the first light signal; and remote interface control circuitry disposed at the remote interface, the remote interface control circuitry operatively connected to the first LTVC to receive the predetermined second voltage when output by the first LTVC and configured to set a first received safety condition to a first value when receiving the predetermined second voltage; and whereby the first light signal provides a first forward channel; whereby the first received safety condition being set to the first value at the remote interface control circuitry is determinative that the first operator safety condition is currently set to the first value; and wherein the remote interface control circuitry uses the first received safety condition to determine a current value of a first remote safety condition. a first voltage to light converter (VTLC) disposed at an operator panel, the first VTLC configured to output a first light signal of a predetermined first light frequency only when receiving a predetermined first voltage indicative of a first operator safety condition set to a first value; a first optical fiber operatively connected at a first end to the first VTLC to receive the first light signal outputted by the first VTLC and to propagate the first light signal to a second end; a first light to voltage converter (LTVC) disposed at a remote interface, the first LTVC operatively connected to the second end of the first optical fiber to receive the first light signal, the first LTVC configured to output a predetermined second voltage only when receiving the first light signal; and remote interface control circuitry disposed at the remote interface, the remote interface control circuitry operatively connected to the first LTVC to receive the predetermined second voltage when output by the first LTVC and configured to set a first received safety condition to a first value when receiving the predetermined second voltage; and whereby the first light signal provides a first forward channel; whereby the first received safety condition being set to the first value at the remote interface control circuitry is determinative that the first operator safety condition is currently set to the first value; and a first optical fiber operatively connected at a first end to the first VTLC to receive the first light signal outputted by the first VTLC and to propagate the first light signal to a second end; a first light to voltage converter (LTVC) disposed at a remote interface, the first LTVC operatively connected to the second end of the first optical fiber to receive the first light signal, the first LTVC configured to output a predetermined second voltage only when receiving the first light signal; and remote interface control circuitry disposed at the remote interface, the remote interface control circuitry operatively connected to the first LTVC to receive the predetermined second voltage when output by the first LTVC and configured to set a first received safety condition to a first value when receiving the predetermined second voltage; and whereby the first light signal provides a first forward channel; whereby the first received safety condition being set to the first value at the remote interface control circuitry is determinative that the first operator safety condition is currently set to the first value; and wherein the remote interface control circuitry uses the first received safety condition to determine a current value of a first remote safety condition.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12768610

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12768610