TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an authorization system for an operator console wherein one or more operators control and monitor physical facilities, operations or physically dispersed services. The system comprises wearable personal identification devices worn by the operators and a control unit for communicating with said wearable personal identification devices in order to detect the presence of said one or more operators within a defined control room area.

BACKGROUND

A control room environment typically requires the operational presence of human operators with certain predetermined skills or qualification levels to operate the system being controlled or monitored. An example of such a key operator may for example be a supervisor at a nuclear power plant or a ship's commander. The consequences and risks of unauthorised absence of key operators from such an environment can be very grave indeed and there are many known ways to ensure presence of the key operators in order to perform a certain task. The most common way is to use a simple log-in system to register the presence of key personnel. Log-in systems of this kind typically include an ID-card reading unit or a station where the operator enters a personal code to register his or her presence.

Although these known systems also provide a log-out procedure, it is often possible for a key operator to leave the control room area without logging out of the system. Hence, there are no warning alerts that alerts nearby operators or an higher instance of control to the fact that a key operator is absent.

In current systems this also presents a further risk in that the system allows tasks to be performed by operators lacking a minimum required level of qualification.

SUMMARY The object of the present invention is to alleviate the above mentioned problems. Hence, the invention discloses an authorization system for an operator console wherein one or more operators control and monitor physical facilities, operations or physically dispersed services. The system comprises wearable personal identification devices worn by the operators and a control unit for communicating with said wearable personal identification devices in order to detect the presence of said one or more operators within a defined control room area. The invention is especially characterized in that each personal identification device is adapted to send stored information about the operator's individual qualification level to the control unit and that said control unit is adapted to conditionally authorize operator access corresponding to a predefined qualification level required for performing a predefined task or a predefined set of tasks. Preferably, the control unit is adapted to report absence of an operator with a predefined minimum required individual qualification level to a higher instance of control.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control unit detects the presence of an operator or group of operators having a first, lower individual qualification level, who is to perform a task requiring a higher individual qualification level, then it requires the detected presence of a supervising operator having a second, higher individual qualification level to allow the task to be performed. In one exemplifying embodiment of the invention, said wearable personal identification device includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag and may be shaped as a wristband. Accordingly, the control unit preferably includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader. The system may be an Active Reader Passive Tag (ARPT) system or an Active Reader Active Tag (ARAT) system. In an alternative embodiment, the control unit 7 may alternatively communicate with the wearable identification devices by way of so called Near Field Communication technology (NFC) or any other short-range wireless communication technology suitable for the communication.

The invention can be applied in different types of control room environments, such as in electric power plants, ship bridge controls, manufacturing industry and similar environments where a round-the clock alertness must be upheld in order to secure a safe operation.

Further advantages and advantageous features of the invention are disclosed in the following description and in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples. Fig. 1 shows a simplified schematic overview of an operator console equipped with an authorization system according to the present invention. One operator is present within a predefined control room area whilst another operator is outside of the control room area. shows a simplified schematic overview of equipped with an authorization system according to the present invention. The figure shows how a control unit communicates with two operators, an operator console and a higher instance of control, such as a control room supervisor function. shows a further simplified schematic overview of an operator console equipped with an authorization system according to the present invention. Here, the control unit detects the presence of third supervising operator having a second, higher individual qualification level than the other two operators.

Fig. 4 finally shows a schematic drawing of an operator's wrist wearing a personal identification device shaped as a wristband and including a radio-frequency identification tag

(RFID) tag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described with reference to embodiments of the invention and with reference to the appended drawings. With initial reference to Fig. 1, this figure shows a schematic overview of an operator console 1. The operator console 1 in this example is of a larger type designed for two or more operators A, B even though the invention is equally applicable to an operator console of a smaller type intended for one operator A. The operator console 1 includes a desk 2 provided with a multiplicity of information display screens 3, as well as three larger information display screens 4 which are supported by a height adjustable support structure 5. A lighting armature 6 is mounted over the desk 2 and a control unit 7 is positioned on the light armature 6 in the shown example. In alternative embodiments, the control unit 7 may be positioned elsewhere on or adjacent to the control console 1. In Fig. 1, a human operator A is shown standing just in front of the desk 2 and within a defined control room area 8 indicated by the dashed square surrounding the operator console 1. A second human operator B is shown standing just outside of the control room area 8. The operators A, B control and monitor physical facilities such as nuclear power plants or physically dispersed services such as emergency rescue operations. The operator console 1 may also be a control bridge of a ship or other large vehicle. According to the invention, the operators A, B are wearing personal identification devices 9 in the shape of wristbands in the shown example. The control unit 7 is adapted to communicate with the personal identification devices 9 when an operator A is within the control room area 8 as indicated by the arrow 10. Hence, the control unit 7 is adapted to detect the presence of an operator A within the control room area 8 and consequently also the eventual absence of a required operator B within the same. According to the invention, each personal identification device 9 is adapted to send stored information about the operator's A, B individual qualification level to the control unit 7. The individual qualification levels may for example be different ranks on-board a ship or other comparable authorization levels such as operator first grade, operator second grade etc. depending on individual knowledge and experience within the system to be controlled.

The control unit 7 is adapted to conditionally authorize operator access corresponding to a predefined qualification level required for performing a predefined task or a predefined set of tasks.

With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig 2, the control unit 7 is adapted to detect the presence of an operator B with a predefined minimum required individual qualification level within the defined control room area 8. Furthermore, the control unit 7 is adapted to report absence of an operator B with a predefined minimum required individual qualification level to a higher instance of control 11, as shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 1, this is indicated by operator B being positioned just outside of the predefined control room area and thus triggering a report to said higher instance of control 11. The higher instance of control 11 may for example be a supervisor located at a distance from the control room area 8 or a remotely located management team. In Fig. 3, another function of the invention is shown. Here, a group of operators A, B - in this case two operators - both having a first, lower individual qualification level, are to perform a task requiring a higher individual qualification level . In this case, the task is only allowed to be performed by the system if the control unit 7 detects the presence of a third supervising operator C having a second, higher individual qualification level.

As shown in Fig. 4, the wearable personal identification device 9 includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag 12 and may be shaped as a wristband as shown in the figures, but may alternatively be part of a garment such as a vest (not shown) or be in the form of an ID-card or similar. Accordingly, the control unit 7 preferably includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader 13. The system may be an Active Reader Passive Tag (ARPT) system or an Active Reader Active Tag (ARAT) system. In an alternative embodiment, the control unit 7 may alternatively communicate with the wearable identification devices 9 by way of so called Near Field Communication technology (NFC) or any other short-range wireless communication technology suitable for the communication. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings and a skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims. For example - as mentioned above - the control unit 7 may alternatively communicate with the wearable identification devices 9 by way of so called Near Field Communication technology (NFC) or any other short-range wireless communication technology suitable for the communication described above.