User interface for rock drilling rig

• US 8,286,726 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• 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: Muona, Jouko, Osara, Jukka, Haverinen, Eemeli, Säleniemi, Tommi, Kemppainen, Timo, Junnikkala, Ari, Virtanen, Isto, Koskelainen, Jussi, Eilo, Erkki
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Kenneth L
• Application Number:
  US11/991,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20090038847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 175/40, 175/27, 175/24, 173/20, 173/141
• 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 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 comprising three or more different rock drilling phases, the control apparatus comprising:

a display;

an input device for receiving user inputs; and

at least one control unit that controls 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 rock-drilling phases of the rock drilling event in binding information stored in a memory of the control apparatus,

wherein the control apparatus is configured to specify one of the different rock drilling phases of the rock drilling event,

wherein the control unit is configured to update the working phase indicator to display at least one display information element that is automatically specified on the basis of information indicative of the rock drilling phase and the binding information,

wherein the control unit is configured to display a plurality of information elements in the working phase indicator, at least two information elements at a time, each of the information elements indicating a different working phase, the working phase indicator being adapted to indicate at least two of a present working phase, a previous working phase, or a following working phase, and

wherein each one of the present working phase, the previous working phase, and the following working phase is one of the three or more different rock drilling phases.

2. The 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. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the control apparatus is configured to check if the rock drilling phase is inhibited in a current situation of the rock drilling event; and

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

4. The 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 the transfer to the inhibited working phase.

5. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

different selectable operating modes are set in the control apparatus, according to which a transfer between 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 an operating mode in use.

6. The 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 a drilling apparatus; and

the control unit is configured to display a 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 the working phase indicator and detected in the input device section.

7. The 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 the binding information and state information indicative of a 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 the binding information and the state information indicative of the current working phase or the identifier.

8. The control apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one drilling management unit configured to maintain a state machine about a rock drilling event,

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

wherein the 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 comprising three or more different rock drilling phases; and

a control apparatus, the control apparatus including;

a display; and

at least one control unit that controls 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 rock-drilling phases of the rock drilling event in binding information stored in a memory of the control apparatus,

wherein the control unit is configured to specify one of the different rock drilling phases of the rock drilling event,

wherein the control unit is configured to update the working phase indicator to display at least one display information element that is automatically specified on the basis of information indicative of the rock drilling phase and the binding information,

wherein the control unit is configured to display a plurality of information elements in the working phase indicator, at least two information elements at a time, each of the information elements indicating a different working phase, the working phase indicator being adapted to indicate at least two of a present working phase, a previous working phase, or a following working phase, and

wherein each one of the present working phase, the previous working phase, and the following working phase is one of the three or more different rock drilling phases.

10. The rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the control apparatus is configured to check if the rock drilling phase is inhibited in a current situation of the rock drilling event; and

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

11. The 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 the transfer to the inhibited working phase.

12. The rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

different selectable operating modes are set in the control apparatus, according to which a transfer between 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 an operating mode in use.

13. The 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 unit-specifically controlling each drilling unit of a drilling apparatus; and

the control unit is configured to display a 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 the working phase indicator and detected in the input device section.

14. The 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 the binding information and state information indicative of a 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 the binding information and the state information indicative of the current working phase or the identifier.

15. The rock drilling rig as claimed in claim 9, wherein the control apparatus further comprises at least one drilling management unit configured to maintain a state machine about a rock drilling event, wherein:

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

the 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.

16. 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 phase-specific display information element associated with a working phase of a rock drilling event comprising three or more different rock drilling phases, on a display;

specify one of the three or more different rock drilling phases of the rock drilling event;

update the working phase indicator to display at least one display element that is automatically specified on the basis of information indicative of the rock drilling phase and binding information stored in a memory; and

display a plurality of information elements in the working phase indicator, at least two information elements at a time, each of the information elements indicating a different working phase, the working phase indicator being adapted to indicate at least two of a present working phase, a previous working phase, or a following working phase,

wherein each one of the present working phase, the previous working phase, and the following working phase is one of the three or more different rock drilling phases.

17. The memory medium as claimed in claim 16, 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.

18. The memory medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the computer program product comprises:

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 the 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 the binding information and the state information indicative of a current working phase.