User interface for rock drilling rig

• US 20090038847A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction OY (Sandvik AB)
• Original Assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction OY (Sandvik AB)
• Inventors: Koskelainen, Jussi, Saleniemi, Tommi, Muona, Jouko, Osara, Jukka, Virtanen, Isto, Eilo, Erkki, Kemppainen, Timo, Haverinen, Eemeli, Junnikkala, Ari
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,726 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/26
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/02 Drilling rigs characterised by means for land transport with their own drive, e.g. skid mounting or wheel mounting
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/022 Control of the drilling operation; Hydraulic or pneumatic means for activation or operation control circuits for drilling masts E21B15/045
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/025 Rock drills, i.e. jumbo drills

Abstract

The invention relates to a control apparatus for controlling a rock-drilling rig performing a multiphase rock-drilling event. The control apparatus is arranged to display a working phase indicator on a display, and rock drilling phase-specific information elements is associated with different working phases. The control apparatus is arranged to specify the phase of the rock-drilling event and to update the working phase indicator to display at least one display information element in accordance with the specified working phase.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a rock drilling rig performing a multi-phase rock drilling event, the control apparatus comprising a display, an input device for receiving user inputs and at least one control unit for controlling information to be displayed on the display, wherein the control unit is configured to display a working phase indicator on the display, and that one or more rock drilling phase-specific display information elements are associated with at least some of the different working phases of the rock drilling event in binding information stored in a memory of the control apparatus,

the control apparatus is configured to specify the phase of the rock drilling event, and

the control unit is configured to update the working phase indicator so as to display at least one display information element that is specified on the basis of information indicative of the working phase and the binding information, wherein the control unit is configured to display the working phase indicator adapted to indicate the present working phase, a previous working phase and/or a following working phase.

2. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input device is configured to receive an input from a user for changing working phases, and

the control apparatus is configured to update the display information elements to be displayed in the working phase indicator in response to an input received from the input device and indicating a change of working phase.

3. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is configured to check if the working phase is inhibited in the current situation of the rock drilling event, and

the control unit is configured to display the inhibited working phase using a display information element deviating from an allowed working phase.

4. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is configured to prevent a change of rock drilling phase to an inhibited working phase in response to an input received from a user implying a transfer to the inhibited working phase, or the control apparatus is configured to prevent user selections for a transfer to the inhibited working phase.

5. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein different selectable operating modes are set in the control apparatus, according to which the transfer between the different working states is specified, and

the control unit is configured to update the display information elements to be displayed in the working phase indicator in accordance with the operating mode in use.

6. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input device comprises drilling unit-specific input device sections for drilling unit-specifically controlling each drilling unit of the drilling apparatus, and

the control unit is configured to display the special working phase indicator for each drilling unit on the display and to update the working phase indicator on the basis of an input relating to said working phase indicator and detected in the input device section.

7. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to specify the information element to be displayed in the working phase indicator on the basis of said binding information and the state information indicative of the current working phase or an identifier, and

the control unit is configured to display at least one display information element specified on the basis of said binding information and the state information indicative of the current working phase or the identifier.

8. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the control apparatus further comprising at least one drilling management unit configured to maintain a state machine about a rock drilling event, whereby

the drilling management unit is configured to transmit the state information to the control unit controlling the display for indicating at least the current working phase, and

said control unit is configured to specify the at least one display information element to be displayed in the working phase indicator on the basis of the state information received from the drilling management unit.

9. A rock drilling rig comprising a drilling unit for performing a multi-phase rock drilling event, a display and at least one control unit for controlling information to be displayed on the display, wherein the control unit is configured to display a working phase indicator on the display and that one or more rock drilling phase-specific display information elements are associated with at least some of the different working phases of the rock drilling event in binding information stored in a memory of the control apparatus,

the control unit is configured to specify the phase of the rock drilling event, and

the control unit is configured to update the working phase indicator so as to display at least one display information element that is specified on the basis of information indicative of the working phase and the binding information, wherein the control unit is configured to display the working phase indicator adapted to indicate the present working phase, a previous working phase and/or a following working phase.

13. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control apparatus is configured to check if the working phase is inhibited in the current situation of the rock drilling event, and

the control unit is configured to display the inhibited working phase using a display information element deviating from an allowed working phase.

14. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control apparatus is configured to prevent a change of rock drilling phase to an inhibited working phase in response to an input received from a user implying a transfer to the inhibited working phase, or the control apparatus is configured to prevent user selections for a transfer to the inhibited working phase.

15. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein different selectable operating modes are set in the control apparatus, according to which the transfer between the different working states is specified, and

the control unit is configured to update the display information elements to be displayed in the working phase indicator in accordance with the operating mode in use

16. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein a user input device of the rock drilling rig comprises drilling unit-specific input device sections for drilling unitspecifically controlling each drilling unit of the drilling apparatus, and

the control unit is configured to display the special working phase indicator for each drilling unit on the display and to update the working phase indicator on the basis of an input relating to said working phase indicator and detected in the input device section.

17. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to specify the information element to be displayed in the working phase indicator on the basis of said binding information and the state information indicative of the current working phase or an identifier, and

the control unit is configured to display at least one display information element specified on the basis of said binding information and the state information indicative of the current working phase or the identifier.

18. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control apparatus further comprising at least one drilling management unit configured to maintain a state machine about a rock drilling event, whereby

the drilling management unit is configured to transmit the state information to the control unit controlling the display for indicating at least the current working phase, and

said control unit is configured to specify the at least one display information element to be displayed in the working phase indicator on the basis of the state information received from the drilling management unit.

10. A memory medium embodying a computer program product for controlling at least one data processing device of a rock drilling rig the computer program product comprising computer program code for controlling, when executed in a processor of the data processing device, a control system to:

display a working phase indicator comprising at least one rock drilling phasespecific display information element associated with a working phase of a rock drilling event, on a display,

specify a phase of the rock drilling event, and

update the working phase indicator so as to display at least one display element that is specified on the basis of information indicative of the working phase and binding information stored in a memory, the computer program product comprising computer program code for controlling the control system to display the working phase indicator adapted to indicate the present working phase, a previous working phase and/or a following working phase.

11. A memory medium as claimed in claim 10, wherein the computer program product comprises computer program code for controlling the control system to receive an input about a change of working phase from a user, and

computer program code for controlling the control system to update the display information elements to be displayed in the working phase indicator in response to an input received from an input device and indicating a change of working phase.

12. A memory medium as claimed in claim 10, the computer program product comprising computer program code for controlling the control system to specify the information element to be displayed in the working phase indicator on the basis of said binding information and state information indicative of the current working phase, and

computer program code for controlling the control system to display the at least one specified display information element on the display on the basis of said binding information and the state information indicative of the current working phase.