Adaptive user interface for rock drilling rig

• US 20090250263A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 10/08/2009
• 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: Saha, Heikki
• Granted Patent: US 7,931,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/24
• 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 multi-phase rock drilling event carried out with a rock drilling rig. In a display of the rock drilling rig or a control unit thereof, a first section is settable for substantially invariable information sources and a second section for information sources to be changed according to the rock drilling situation, and a definition is set rock drilling situation-specifically in the control apparatus about at least one information source, information relating to which is to be displayed in said rock drilling situation. The working phase of the rock drilling event is checked, and an information source suitable for said phase is selected on the basis of said definition. Information relating to the at least one selected information source is displayed in said display part during execution of the rock drilling phase.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a multi-phase rock drilling event carried out with a rock drilling rig, the control apparatus comprising a display, an input device for receiving user inputs, and a control unit for controlling information to be displayed on the display, wherein at least part of the display is reserved for information sources to be changed according to a rock drilling situation during a rock drilling event, and a rock drilling phase-specific definition is set in the control apparatus for at least one information source, information relating to which is to be displayed in said rock drilling phase,

the control unit is configured to check the rock drilling phase-specific definition in response to an initiation of a rock drilling event or a transition in the rock drilling phase,

the control unit is configured to select at least one information source suitable for said phase on the basis of said checked definition, and

the control unit is configured to display information relating to the at least one selected information source in said display section during execution of the rock drilling phase.

2. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first section of the display is settable for substantially invariable information sources, and a second section for information sources that vary according to the rock drilling situation.

3. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate data collection from the at least one selected information source, and to arrange data transfer from the information source to the control unit, and

the control unit is configured to receive data from the information source selected, and to update said display section so as to display the data received.

4. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first subsection and a second subsection are separable from said display section, and

the control unit is configured to specify, for each information source displayed in said display section, if information of the information source is to be displayed in the first subsection or in the second subsection, and

the control unit is configured to display information of the information sources in the subsections on the basis of said definition step.

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

the control unit is configured to select the information source in accordance with the operating mode in use.

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

the control unit is configured to display a specific updateable area for each drilling unit on the display, and

the control unit is configured to select the information sources to be displayed in each drilling unit-specific area on the basis of the current rock drilling phase, and

the control unit is configured to display the drilling unit-specific information sources selected in corresponding drilling unit-specific areas.

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

the control unit is configured to specify the placement and/or form of presentation of information of the at least one selected information source on the basis of predetermined settings, and

the control unit is configured to display the information relating to the at least one selected information source in the position and form of presentation defined, in said display section during execution of the rock drilling phase.

8. A control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rock drilling phase-specific definitions are stored in a memory in the control apparatus and they match working phase identifiers with information source identifiers,

the control unit is configured to select at least one information source on the basis of the rock drilling phase-specific definition and state information or identifier indicating the current phase.

9. 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 said display-controlling control unit for indicating at least the current working phase, and

the control unit is configured to specify a need to start a rock drilling event or a transition to the next rock drilling phase, and to select at least one information source on the basis of the state information received from the drilling management unit.

10. A rock drilling rig comprising a drilling unit for executing a multiphase rock drilling event, a display, an input device for receiving user inputs, and a control unit for controlling information to be displayed on the display, wherein at least part of the display is reserved for information sources to be changed according to a rock drilling situation during a rock drilling event, and a rock drilling phase-specific definition is set in the control apparatus for at least one information source, information relating to which is to be displayed in said rock drilling phase,

the control unit is configured to check the rock drilling phase-specific definition in response to an initiation of a rock drilling event or a transition in the rock drilling phase,

the control unit is configured to select at least one information source suitable for said phase on the basis of said checked definition, and

the control unit is configured to display information relating to the at least one selected information source in said display section during execution of the rock drilling phase.

14. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 10, wherein a first section of the display is settable for substantially invariable information sources, and a second section for information sources that vary according to the rock drilling situation.

15. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control apparatus is configured to activate data collection from the at least one selected information source, and to arrange data transfer from the information source to the control unit, and

the control unit is configured to receive data from the information source selected, and to update said display section so as to display the data received.

16. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 10, wherein a first subsection and a second subsection are separable from said display section, and

the control unit is configured to specify, for each information source displayed in said display section, if information of the information source is to be displayed in the first subsection or in the second subsection, and

the control unit is configured to display information of the information sources in the subsections on the basis of said definition step.

17. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 10, wherein different selectable operating modes are set in the control apparatus, according to which modes a transition between different working states is specified, and

the control unit is configured to select the information source in accordance with the operating mode in use.

18. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to display a specific updateable area for each drilling unit on the display, and

the control unit is configured to select the information sources to be displayed in each drilling unit-specific area on the basis of the current rock drilling phase, and

the control unit is configured to display the drilling unit-specific information sources selected in corresponding drilling unit-specific areas.

19. A rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to specify the placement and/or form of presentation of information of the at least one selected information source on the basis of predetermined settings, and

the control unit is configured to display the information relating to the at least one selected information source in the position and form of presentation defined, in said display section during execution of the rock drilling phase.

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

check a rock drilling phase-specific definition in response to an initiation of a rock drilling event or a transition in a rock drilling phase during a rock drilling event, the rock drilling phase-specific definition specifying at least one information source, information relating to which should be displayed in said rock drilling phase,

select at least one information source suitable for said phase on the basis of said checked definition, and

display information relating to the at least one selected information source in a section of a display of the control system, the section being set for information sources to be changed according to the rock drilling situation, during execution of the rock drilling phase.

12. A memory medium claimed in claim 11, wherein the computer program product comprises computer program code that controls the control system to activate data collection from the at least one selected information source and to arrange data transfer from the information source, and

to receive data from the information source selected and to update said display section so as to display the data received.

13. A memory medium claimed in claim 11, wherein the computer program product comprises computer program code that controls the control system to specify the placement and/or form of presentation of information of the at least one selected information source on the basis of predetermined settings, and

to display information relating to the at least one selected information source in the position and form of presentation defined, in said display section during execution of the rock drilling phase.