Method and apparatus for wireless blasting with first and second firing messages
First Claim
1. A method for wireless detonator blasting, comprising:
- using a wireless enabled bridge unit coupled with a blasting machine via a communications cable, wirelessly receiving a wireless fire command message from a master controller;
using the wireless enabled bridge unit, sending a first fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications cable;
using the wireless enabled bridge unit, selectively sending a second fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications cable in response to receiving a fire command acknowledgment message from the blasting machine via the communications cable; and
using the wireless enabled bridge unit,wirelessly receiving a wireless verify command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver,sending a first verify command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface, andselectively sending a second verify command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface in response to receiving a verify command acknowledgment message from the blasting machine via the communications interface.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods, blasting machines and wireless bridge units are presented for wireless blasting for safe firing of detonators under control of a remote wireless master controller in which the blasting machine is connected by cabling to the wireless bridge unit and power to a firing circuit of the blasting machine is remotely controlled via the bridge unit. The bridge unit selectively provides first and second firing messages to the blasting machine contingent upon acknowledgment of safe receipt of the first firing message by the blasting machine, and the blasting machine fires the connected detonators only if the first and second firing messages are correctly received from the bridge unit. A wireless slave blasting machine is disclosed, including a wireless transceiver for communicating with a remote wireless master controller, which fires the connected detonators only if first and second firing messages are wirelessly received from the master controller.
396 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for wireless detonator blasting, comprising:
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using a wireless enabled bridge unit coupled with a blasting machine via a communications cable, wirelessly receiving a wireless fire command message from a master controller; using the wireless enabled bridge unit, sending a first fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications cable; using the wireless enabled bridge unit, selectively sending a second fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications cable in response to receiving a fire command acknowledgment message from the blasting machine via the communications cable; and using the wireless enabled bridge unit, wirelessly receiving a wireless verify command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver, sending a first verify command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface, and selectively sending a second verify command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface in response to receiving a verify command acknowledgment message from the blasting machine via the communications interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 22, 23)
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8. A bridge unit for remote wireless operation of a blasting machine, the bridge unit comprising:
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a communications interface operatively coupleable with a communications cable to communicate with a connected blasting machine; a wireless transceiver operative to communicate with a remote master controller; a power control circuit; and at least one processor with an electronic memory, the at least one processor being operatively coupled with the communications interface and with the wireless transceiver, the at least one processor being programmed to; receive a wireless fire command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver; send a first fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface; selectively send a second fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface in response to receiving a fire command acknowledgment message from the blasting machine via the communications interface; and selectively enable or disable a firing circuit of the blasting machine via the power control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A blasting machine, comprising:
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a communications interface operatively coupleable with a communications cable to communicate with a connected bridge unit; a firing circuit operative when enabled and powered to fire at least one connected detonator; and at least one processor with an electronic memory, the at least one processor being operatively coupled with the communications interface and with the firing circuit, the at least one processor being programmed to; receive a first fire command message from the bridge unit via the communications interface; send a fire command acknowledgment message to the bridge unit via the communications interface in response to receiving the first fire command message; selectively fire the at least one detonator via the firing circuit in response to receiving a second fire command message from the bridge unit via the communications interface; verify the first fire command message received from the bridge unit; and send the fire command acknowledgment message to the bridge unit only if the first fire command message is verified as correct. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A wireless blasting machine, comprising:
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a wireless transceiver operative to communicate with a remote master controller; and a firing circuit operative when enabled and powered to fire at least one connected detonator; and at least one processor with an electronic memory, the at least one processor being operatively coupled with the wireless transceiver and with the firing circuit, the at least one processor being programmed to; receive a first wireless fire command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver; send a fire command acknowledgment message to the master controller via the wireless transceiver in response to receiving the first fire command message; receive a second wireless fire command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver; and selectively fire the at least one detonator via the firing circuit in response to receiving the second fire command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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24. A bridge unit for remote wireless operation of a blasting machine, the bridge unit comprising:
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a communications interface operatively coupleable with a communications cable to communicate with a connected blasting machine; a wireless transceiver operative to communicate with a remote master controller; and at least one processor with an electronic memory, the at least one processor being operatively coupled with the communications interface and with the wireless transceiver, the at least one processor being programmed to; receive a wireless fire command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver; send a first fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface; selectively send a second fire command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface in response to receiving a fire command acknowledgment message from the blasting machine via the communications interface; wirelessly receive a wireless verify command message from the master controller via the wireless transceiver; send a first verify command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface; and selectively send a second verify command message to the blasting machine via the communications interface in response to receiving a verify command acknowledgment message from the blasting machine via the communications interface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification