Intra-vehicle communications system in a mining vehicle monitoring system

• US 6,469,638 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2000
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Modular Mining Systems Incorporated (Komatsu)
• Original Assignee: Modular Mining Systems Incorporated (Komatsu)
• Inventors: Johnson, Lyle V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/677,523
• Time in Patent Office: 752 Days
• Field of Search: 340/445, 340/438, 340/425.5, 340/531, 340/539, 340/870.07, 340/870.1, 701/102, 701/115, 701/29, 702/188
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/001 Two-way communication systems between a limited number of parties

Abstract

An intra-vehicle communications system in a mining vehicle monitoring system. A status sensor, status radio transmitter and power source are located adjacent to a portion or component of the vehicle to be monitored and a status radio receiver is located adjacent to a vehicle-to-base transmitter that receives a status radio signal from the status radio transmitter and forwards that signal to a base station at a central monitoring location. Preferably a plurality of such sensors, status radio transmitters and respective power sources are distributed throughout the vehicle. The status radio transmitters are relatively low power devices which require relatively low power for operation. Preferably the vehicle-to-base radio operates at a different frequency from the intra-vehicle status radios so as to avoid mutual interference. In many cases the power sources obtain their power from the motion of the vehicle itself.

Claims

1. In a mining vehicle monitoring system having a base radio for communication with mining vehicles having respective vehicle-to-base radios disposed thereon, an intra-vehicle communication system, comprising:

a status signal source, disposed on a given mining vehicle at a location different from the vehicle-to-base radio of said given vehicle, for producing a status signal representing the status of some portion of said given vehicle;

a status radio transmitter, disposed on said given mining vehicle proximate said status signal source, for receiving said status signal and transmitting an intra-vehicle radio signal representative of said status;

a localized power source for generating power for said status radio transmitter from mechanical motion of a portion of the mining vehicle; and

a status radio receiver, disposed on said given vehicle proximate the vehicle-to-base radio of said given vehicle, for receiving said intra-vehicle radio signal and providing to the vehicle-to-base radio of said given mining vehicle a signal representing a status.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein, based on said signal representing said status, the vehicle-to-base radio of said given mining vehicle transmits to said base radio a radio signal representing said status.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein said base radio is adapted to transmit an interrogation radio signal to said given mining vehicle-to-base radio in response to which said vehicle-to-base radio transmits to said base radio said radio signal representing said status.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said status radio transmitter and said status radio receiver operate in the microwave frequency band.

5. The communication system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle-to-base radio of said given vehicle and the base station radio operate in the microwave frequency band, at frequencies different from the frequencies of said status radio transmitter and status radio receiver.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said localized power source derives localized power from said status signal source.

7. In a mining vehicle monitoring system having a base radio for communication with mining vehicles having respective vehicle-to-base radios disposed thereon, an intra-vehicle communication system, comprising:

a status signal source, disposed on a given mining vehicle at a location different from the vehicle-to-base radio of said given vehicle, for producing a status signal representing the status of some portion of said given vehicle, wherein said status signal source includes an electrical power generator for generating power for said status radio transmitter from mechanical motion of a portion of said given mining vehicle;

a status radio transmitter, disposed on said given mining vehicle proximate said status signal source, for receiving said status signal and transmitting an intra-vehicle radio signal representative of said status;

a power source for said status radio transmitter;

a status radio receiver, disposed on said given vehicle proximate the vehicle-to-base base radio of said given vehicle, for receiving said intra-vehicle radio signal and providing to the vehicle-to-base radio of said given mining vehicle a signal representing said status; and

a shaft encoder for producing electrical pulses representing the angular velocity of a rotatable shaft of said given mining vehicle, said pulses providing said status signal and the electrical power for said status radio transmitter.

8. A method for monitoring the status of a portion of a mining vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a base radio for communicating with said mining vehicle;

providing a vehicle-to-base radio disposed on said mining vehicle for communicating with said base radio;

providing a status signal source, disposed on said mining vehicle at a location different from said vehicle-to-base radio, for producing a status signal representing the status of some portion of said mining vehicle;

providing a status radio transmitter, disposed on said mining vehicle proximate said status signal source, for receiving said status signal and transmitting an intra-vehicle radio signal representative of said status;

providing a localized power sourcer for generating power for said status radio tramsmitter mechanical motion of a portion of the mining vehicle; and

providing a status radio receiver, disposed on said given vehicle proximate the vehicle-to-base radio, of said given vehicle, for receiving said intra-vehicle radio signal and providing to said vehicle-to base radio signal representing said status.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, based on said electrical signal representing said status, the vehicle-to-base radio of said given mining vehicle transmits to said base radio a radio signal representing said status.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said base radio transmits an interrogation radio signal to said given mining vehicle-to-base radio in response to which said vehicle-to-base radio transmits to said base radio said radio signal representing said status.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising operating said status radio transmitter and said status radio receiver in the microwave frequency band.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising operating the vehicle-to-base radio of said given vehicle and the base station radio in the microwave frequency band, at frequencies different from the frequencies of said status radio transmitter and status radio receiver.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising deriving power for said localized power source from said status signal source.

14. A method for monitoring the status of a portion of a mining vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing a base radio for communicating with said mining vehicle;

providing a vehicle-to-base radio disposed on said mining vehicle for communicating with said base radio;

providing a status signal source, disposed on said mining vehicle at a location different from said vehicle-to-base radio, for producing a status signal representing the status of some portion of said mining vehicle;

providing a status radio transmitter, disposed on said mining vehicle proximate said status signal source, for receiving said status signal and transmitting an intra-vehicle radio signal representative of said status;

providing a power source for said status radio transmitter;

providing a status radio receiver, disposed on said given vehicle proximate said vehicle-to-base radio, for receiving said intra-vehicle radio signal and providing to said vehicle-to-base radio a signal representing said status;

deriving power for said localized power source from said status signal source; and

providing a shaft encoder for producing electrical pulses representing the angular velocity of a rotatable shaft of said mining vehicle, said pulses providing said status signal and the electrical power for said status radio transmitter.