Arrangement for monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine
First Claim
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1. A method of monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine, the method comprising:
- driving at least one mining vehicle during one work cycle at least in a first work area and in a second work area of the mine, wherein the first work area is provided with at least one identifier whose location is accurately known, and the second work area is provided with no identifier;
determining data on the location of the mining vehicle in the mine;
transferring said location data to a mine control system;
employing, in location data transfer, a data communication connection communicating with the mine control system;
employing the obtained location data in the mine control system for monitoring the operation of the mining vehicle,determining the location of the mining vehicle substantially continuously in the first work area and the second work area on the basis of a dead reckoning, wherein the distance travelled is calculated and the travel direction is determined;
determining, when operating in the second work area, the location of the mining vehicle only on the basis of the dead reckoning;
identifying, when operating in the first work area, at least one identifier whose location is accurately known;
determining the location data of the mining vehicle on the basis of the identification data;
and updating the location data determined in the dead reckoning on the basis of the location data of the identifier only when driving in the first work area,wherein the size of the second work area is sufficient to cause a mining vehicle during at least one work cycle to have discontinuities in location updates obtained by identifiers with accurately known locations.
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Abstract
A method and a system for monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine. The mine includes a first and a second work area. At least one identifier whose exact location is known is arranged in the first work area. The location of the mining vehicle is determined continuously by use of a dead reckoning. The location data, based on the dead reckoning, can be updated by use of the identifier. The location data are transmitted to a mine control system for monitoring the mining vehicle.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine, the method comprising:
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driving at least one mining vehicle during one work cycle at least in a first work area and in a second work area of the mine, wherein the first work area is provided with at least one identifier whose location is accurately known, and the second work area is provided with no identifier; determining data on the location of the mining vehicle in the mine; transferring said location data to a mine control system; employing, in location data transfer, a data communication connection communicating with the mine control system; employing the obtained location data in the mine control system for monitoring the operation of the mining vehicle, determining the location of the mining vehicle substantially continuously in the first work area and the second work area on the basis of a dead reckoning, wherein the distance travelled is calculated and the travel direction is determined; determining, when operating in the second work area, the location of the mining vehicle only on the basis of the dead reckoning; identifying, when operating in the first work area, at least one identifier whose location is accurately known; determining the location data of the mining vehicle on the basis of the identification data; and updating the location data determined in the dead reckoning on the basis of the location data of the identifier only when driving in the first work area, wherein the size of the second work area is sufficient to cause a mining vehicle during at least one work cycle to have discontinuities in location updates obtained by identifiers with accurately known locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine, the system comprising:
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a first work area and a second work area in the mine, in which areas the mining vehicle is arranged to drive during one work cycle, and wherein the first work area is provided with at least one identifier whose location is accurately known, and the second work area is provided with no identifier; at least one measuring device for determining the distance travelled by the mining vehicle, and further at least one measuring device for determining the direction of the mining vehicle; a mine control system; at least one control unit arranged in the mining vehicle; at least one data transfer connection for data transfer between the control unit of the mining vehicle and the mine control system; wherein the size of the second work area is sufficient to cause a mining vehicle during at least one work cycle to have discontinuities in location updates obtained by identifiers with accurately known locations; and in which system; location data of the mining vehicle are arranged to be transferred via the data transfer connection from the mining vehicle to the mine control system, the location of the mining vehicle is arranged to be determined substantially continuously in the first work area and the second work area on the basis of a dead reckoning by taking into account the distance travelled and the direction; the location of the mining vehicle is arranged to be determined only on the basis of the dead reckoning, when operating in the second work area; at least one identifier whose location is known to the control unit is arranged in the first work area; the mining vehicle is arranged to identify the identifier when driving in the vicinity of the identifier in the first work area; the control unit is arranged to determine location data on the basis of the identification data; and the control unit is arranged to update the location determined in the dead reckoning on the basis of the location data of the identifier in the first work area. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method of monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine, the method comprising:
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driving at least one mining vehicle during one work cycle at least in a first work area and in a second work area of the mine, wherein the first work area is provided with at least one identifier whose location is accurately known, and the second work area is provided with no identifier; determining data on the location of the mining vehicle in the mine; transferring said location data to a mine control system; employing, in location data transfer, a data communication connection communicating with the mine control system; employing the obtained location data in the mine control system for monitoring the operation of the mining vehicle, determining the location of the mining vehicle substantially continuously in the first work area and the second work area on the basis of a dead reckoning, wherein the distance travelled is calculated and the travel direction is determined; determining, when operating in the second work area, the location of the mining vehicle only on the basis of the dead reckoning; identifying, when operating in the first work area, at least one identifier whose location is accurately known; determining the location data of the mining vehicle on the basis of the identification data; and updating the location data determined in the dead reckoning on the basis of the location data of the identifier only when driving in the first work area, wherein the size of the second work area is sufficient to cause a mining vehicle during at least one work cycle to have discontinuities in location updates obtained by identifiers with accurately known locations, and wherein the second work area is a production tunnel and the first work area is a connecting tunnel.
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12. A system for monitoring the location of a mining vehicle in a mine, the system comprising:
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a first work area and a second work area in the mine, in which areas the mining vehicle is arranged to drive during one work cycle, and wherein the first work area is provided with at least one identifier whose location is accurately known, and the second work area is provided with no identifier; at least one measuring device for determining the distance travelled by the mining vehicle, and further at least one measuring device for determining the direction of the mining vehicle; a mine control system; at least one control unit arranged in the mining vehicle; at least one data transfer connection for data transfer between the control unit of the mining vehicle and the mine control system; wherein the size of the second work area is sufficient to cause a mining vehicle during at least one work cycle to have discontinuities in location updates obtained by identifiers with accurately known locations; and in which system; location data of the mining vehicle are arranged to be transferred via the data transfer connection from the mining vehicle to the mine control system, the location of the mining vehicle is arranged to be determined substantially continuously in the first work area and the second work area on the basis of a dead reckoning by taking into account the distance travelled and the direction; the location of the mining vehicle is arranged to be determined only on the basis of the dead reckoning, when operating in the second work area; at least one identifier whose location is known to the control unit is arranged in the first work area; the mining vehicle is arranged to identify the identifier when driving in the vicinity of the identifier in the first work area; the control unit is arranged to determine location data on the basis of the identification data; and the control unit is arranged to update the location determined in the dead reckoning on the basis of the location data of the identifier in the first work area, wherein the second work area is a production tunnel and the first work area is a connecting tunnel.
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Specification