Automated continuous haulage system
First Claim
1. A method of controlling an automated two track or wheel vehicle through a maze, wherein the vehicle includes a track controller having a control cycle period, the vehicle having a front portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent front structure via a first trolley, and a rear portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent rear structure, the elongated rear structure coupled to a second trolley, each trolley providing at any given point in time a minimum available travel distance between the vehicle and the corresponding structure, the maze defined by walls which open to intersections, the intersections each having an angle wherein each angle is formed by a number of degrees substantially equal to the other angles, wherein the number of the degrees is known, the method comprising:
- obtaining a first set of range data from a sensor located on the left side of the vehicle;
obtaining a second set of range data from a sensor located on the right side of the vehicle;
determining, for each set of range data, the biggest group defined by consecutive distances having a difference less than a setting threshold;
dividing, for each set of range data, the biggest group into subgroups using recursive line-splitting technique, each subgroup defining a line;
selecting, for each set of range data, the two subgroups which define the two longest lines, whereby a wall on each side of the vehicle is represented by the respective selected subgroups;
defining a global coordinate frame based on the two longest lines;
determining the width of the maze between the walls adjacent the vehicle;
selecting from a table, based on the width and the number of degrees, a polynomial curve which minimizes a cost function, whereby the selected polynomial curve represents the path which provides the greatest assurance that the vehicle and the front and rear structures will not collide with the walls of the maze;
determining the point along the polynomial curve path having the shortest distance to a center of the vehicle, thus determining a closest point;
determining the angle between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as measured from a line tangent to the closest point;
determining the shortest of the travel distances of the first trolley and the second trolley;
determining the travel velocity required for the vehicle to move the shortest travel distance during the control cycle period;
determining, based on the travel velocity, the angular velocity of the vehicle towards the closest point;
determining the left and right track or wheel velocities based on the travel velocity and angular velocity; and
accelerating the vehicle, via the controller, in accordance with the left and right velocities, whereby the vehicle is directed towards the closest point along the polynomial curve path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an automated continuous haulage apparatus and method designed for use in underground environments. Each mobile bridge carrier (10) contains distance measurement (70) and angular position (74) means for determining the mobile bridge carrier'"'"'s (10) position and the angular position of attached piggyback conveyors (30). Means for determining the ceiling height (76) are utilized to adjust the height of the piggyback conveyors (30). On each mobile bridge carrier (10), input from the various sensors is received by an electronic controller (80) that calculates the position and orientation of the bridge carrier (10) and attached piggyback conveyors (30). The controller then plans an optimal path of movement for the bridge carrier (10) and computes the rate of movement for each independently operated track assembly on the bridge carrier such that the bridge carrier (10) and piggyback conveyors (30) arrive as close as possible to the planned path.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of controlling an automated two track or wheel vehicle through a maze, wherein the vehicle includes a track controller having a control cycle period, the vehicle having a front portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent front structure via a first trolley, and a rear portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent rear structure, the elongated rear structure coupled to a second trolley, each trolley providing at any given point in time a minimum available travel distance between the vehicle and the corresponding structure, the maze defined by walls which open to intersections, the intersections each having an angle wherein each angle is formed by a number of degrees substantially equal to the other angles, wherein the number of the degrees is known, the method comprising:
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obtaining a first set of range data from a sensor located on the left side of the vehicle; obtaining a second set of range data from a sensor located on the right side of the vehicle; determining, for each set of range data, the biggest group defined by consecutive distances having a difference less than a setting threshold; dividing, for each set of range data, the biggest group into subgroups using recursive line-splitting technique, each subgroup defining a line; selecting, for each set of range data, the two subgroups which define the two longest lines, whereby a wall on each side of the vehicle is represented by the respective selected subgroups; defining a global coordinate frame based on the two longest lines; determining the width of the maze between the walls adjacent the vehicle; selecting from a table, based on the width and the number of degrees, a polynomial curve which minimizes a cost function, whereby the selected polynomial curve represents the path which provides the greatest assurance that the vehicle and the front and rear structures will not collide with the walls of the maze; determining the point along the polynomial curve path having the shortest distance to a center of the vehicle, thus determining a closest point; determining the angle between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as measured from a line tangent to the closest point; determining the shortest of the travel distances of the first trolley and the second trolley; determining the travel velocity required for the vehicle to move the shortest travel distance during the control cycle period; determining, based on the travel velocity, the angular velocity of the vehicle towards the closest point; determining the left and right track or wheel velocities based on the travel velocity and angular velocity; and accelerating the vehicle, via the controller, in accordance with the left and right velocities, whereby the vehicle is directed towards the closest point along the polynomial curve path.
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2. A control system for controlling an automated two track or wheel vehicle through a maze, the vehicle having a front portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent front structure via a first trolley, and a rear portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent rear structure, the elongated rear structure coupled to a second trolley, each trolley providing at any given point in time a minimum available travel distance between the vehicle and the corresponding structure, the maze defined by walls which open to intersections, the intersections each having an angle of substantially the same number of degrees, wherein the number of the degrees is known, the system comprising:
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a track or wheel controller having a control cycle period; a first sensor located on the left side of the vehicle for obtaining a first set of range data; a second sensor located on the right side of the vehicle for obtaining a second set of range data, the first and second sensor for determining the width of the maze between the walls adjacent the vehicle; means for determining, for each set of range data, the biggest group defined by consecutive distances having a difference less than a setting threshold; means for dividing, for each set of range data, the biggest group into subgroups using recursive line-splitting technique, each subgroup defining a line; means for selecting, for each set of range data, the subgroup which defines the longest line, whereby a wall on each side of the vehicle is represented by the respective selected subgroup; means for selecting from a table, based on the width and the number of degrees, a polynomial curve which minimizes a cost function, whereby the selected polynomial curve represents the path which provides the greatest assurance that the vehicle and the front and rear structures will not collide with the walls of the maze; means for determining the point along the polynomial path having the shortest distance to a center of the vehicle thus determining a closest point; means for determining the angle between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as measured from a line tangent to the closest point; means for determining the shortest of the travel distances of the first trolley and the second trolley; means for determining the travel velocity required for the vehicle to move the shortest travel distance during the control cycle period; means for determining, based on the travel velocity, the angular velocity of the vehicle towards the closest point; means for determining the left and right track or wheel velocities based on the travel velocity and angular velocity; and means for activating the controller for accelerating the vehicle, in accordance with the left and right velocities, whereby the vehicle is directed towards the closest point along the polynomial path. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A method of determining the position and orientation of an automated vehicle with respect to a wall adjacent the vehicle wherein the vehicle is pivotally coupled to an adjacent structure located in an area, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining range data from a sensor on the vehicle; filtering out potentially erroneous data, said filtering step including determining the position of the adjacent structure, and discarding data which corresponds to the area the adjacent structure is located; determining a biggest group of range data defined by consecutive distances having a difference less than a setting threshold; dividing the biggest group of range data into subgroups using recursive line-splitting technique, each subgroup defining a line; and selecting the subgroup which defines the longest line, whereby the wall is represented by the selected subgroup. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of path planning for an automated vehicle through a maze, the vehicle having a front portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent front structure, and a rear portion pivotally coupled to an elongated adjacent rear structure, the maze defined by walls which open to intersections, the intersections each having an angle of substantially a same number of degrees, wherein the number of the degrees is known and the position and orientation of the vehicle is known with respect to the maze, the method comprising:
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determining a width of the maze between the walls adjacent the vehicle; and selecting from a table, based on the width and the number of degrees, a polynomial curve which minimizes a cost function, whereby the selected polynomial curve represents a path which provides an assurance having a greatest confidence that the vehicle and the front and rear structures will not collide with the walls of the maze. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of path tracking for a two-track or two wheel vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a track or wheel controller having a control cycle period, the vehicle coupled to at least one structure via a trolley, the trolley providing at any given point in time a minimum available travel distance between the vehicle and the structure, wherein the vehicle position and orientation within a global coordinate frame is known, and the coefficients of a polynomial path plotted within the global coordinate frame is known, the method comprising:
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determining the point along the polynomial path having the shortest distance to a center of the vehicle thus determining a closest point; determining an angle between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as measured from a line tangent to the closest point; determining the travel distance between the vehicle and the structure; determining a travel velocity required for the vehicle to move the travel distance during the control cycle period; determining, based on the travel velocity, an angular velocity of the vehicle towards the closest point; determining the left and right track or wheel velocities based on the travel velocity and angular velocity; and accelerating the vehicle, via the controller, in accordance with the left and right velocities, whereby the vehicle is directed towards the closest point along the polynomial path.
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Specification