Method, system and media for wireless process control of mobile equipment
First Claim
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1. A system for real-time remote monitoring and control of mobile mining equipment using at least two concurrently operational wireless networks, the system comprising:
- (a) a first mobile mining process train comprising a first plurality of mobile mining equipment including a first mobile slurry facility operative to receive and process mined material from other equipment in the first mobile mining process train;
(b) a first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers each positioned on a corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, each of the first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers operative to collect a set of status and operational data from the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, and operative to control at least one feature of the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, wherein each of the first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers are positioned in communication with;
(i) a first wireless bridge, positioned on the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, operative to communicate according to a first radio frequency band, operative to transmit the first set of status and operational data for processing, and operative to receive data and instructions for controlling the corresponding equipment data collector and controller; and
(ii) a second wireless bridge, positioned on the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, operative to communicate according to a second radio frequency band substantially different from the first radio frequency band, operative to transmit, concurrent with the same or substantially the same data transmitted by the first wireless bridge, the first set of status and operational data for further processing, and operative to receive, concurrent with the same or substantially the same data and instructions received by the first wireless bridge, data and instructions for controlling the corresponding equipment data collector and controller;
wherein the first wireless bridges collectively form a first wireless network and the second wireless bridges collectively form a second wireless network, and wherein the data collector and controller positioned on the first mobile slurry facility is further operative to receive status and operational data concurrently over both the first wireless network and the second wireless network from each of the other data collectors and controllers positioned on the other pieces of equipment in the first mobile mining process train; and
(c) a host equipment control computer operative to communicate with the first plurality of mobile mining equipment via the first mobile slurry facility, and operative to control at least a set of features on the first mobile mining process train, the host equipment control computer comprising an equipment monitoring and control program stored on a computer-readable media, the program comprising computer-readable instructions adapted to instruct the host equipment control computer to;
(i) monitor for and process status and operational data specific to each of the pieces of equipment in the first mobile mining process train, received via both the first and second wireless bridges positioned on the first mobile slurry facility, including control data and run status data for each piece of equipment in the first mobile mining process train;
(ii) provide at least part of each set of status and operational data for display on a user interface displayed on a display device connected to at least one of the host equipment control computer or a remote computer in communication with the host equipment control computer; and
(iii) transmit to at least one of the first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers, via the mobile slurry facility, data and instructions for controlling the set of features on the first mobile mining process train.
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Abstract
A system for wireless process control comprises at least a first wireless network, which is used to communicate real-time instructions and data between one or more pieces of mobile equipment to at least one other piece of mobile equipment. In one variant, a second wireless network is provided, using a different radio frequency band, to concurrently communicate the same or substantially the same real-time instructions and data as are communicated over the first wireless network.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for real-time remote monitoring and control of mobile mining equipment using at least two concurrently operational wireless networks, the system comprising:
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(a) a first mobile mining process train comprising a first plurality of mobile mining equipment including a first mobile slurry facility operative to receive and process mined material from other equipment in the first mobile mining process train; (b) a first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers each positioned on a corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, each of the first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers operative to collect a set of status and operational data from the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, and operative to control at least one feature of the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, wherein each of the first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers are positioned in communication with; (i) a first wireless bridge, positioned on the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, operative to communicate according to a first radio frequency band, operative to transmit the first set of status and operational data for processing, and operative to receive data and instructions for controlling the corresponding equipment data collector and controller; and (ii) a second wireless bridge, positioned on the corresponding one of the first plurality of mobile mining equipment, operative to communicate according to a second radio frequency band substantially different from the first radio frequency band, operative to transmit, concurrent with the same or substantially the same data transmitted by the first wireless bridge, the first set of status and operational data for further processing, and operative to receive, concurrent with the same or substantially the same data and instructions received by the first wireless bridge, data and instructions for controlling the corresponding equipment data collector and controller;
wherein the first wireless bridges collectively form a first wireless network and the second wireless bridges collectively form a second wireless network, and wherein the data collector and controller positioned on the first mobile slurry facility is further operative to receive status and operational data concurrently over both the first wireless network and the second wireless network from each of the other data collectors and controllers positioned on the other pieces of equipment in the first mobile mining process train; and(c) a host equipment control computer operative to communicate with the first plurality of mobile mining equipment via the first mobile slurry facility, and operative to control at least a set of features on the first mobile mining process train, the host equipment control computer comprising an equipment monitoring and control program stored on a computer-readable media, the program comprising computer-readable instructions adapted to instruct the host equipment control computer to; (i) monitor for and process status and operational data specific to each of the pieces of equipment in the first mobile mining process train, received via both the first and second wireless bridges positioned on the first mobile slurry facility, including control data and run status data for each piece of equipment in the first mobile mining process train; (ii) provide at least part of each set of status and operational data for display on a user interface displayed on a display device connected to at least one of the host equipment control computer or a remote computer in communication with the host equipment control computer; and (iii) transmit to at least one of the first plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers, via the mobile slurry facility, data and instructions for controlling the set of features on the first mobile mining process train. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 35, 36)
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19. A method of monitoring and controlling a plurality of mobile mining equipment, the method comprising:
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(a) establishing a first wireless network for monitoring and controlling the plurality of mobile mining equipment, including configuring a first set of wireless bridges comprising a plurality of first wireless bridges, each first wireless bridge positioned on one of the plurality of mobile mining equipment, to communicate according to a first radio frequency band; (b) establishing a second wireless network for monitoring and controlling the plurality of mobile mining equipment concurrently with the first wireless network, including configuring a second set of wireless bridges comprising a plurality of second wireless bridges, each second wireless bridge positioned on one of the plurality of mobile mining equipment, to communicate according to a second radio frequency band substantially different from the first radio frequency band, wherein the second set of wireless bridges communicate substantially concurrently the same or substantially the same data transmitted by corresponding ones of the first set of wireless bridges; (c) collecting a set of status and operational data from each of the plurality of mobile mining equipment via at least one equipment data collector and controller positioned on each of the plurality of mobile mining equipment so as to form collected sets of status and operational data; (d) transmitting, over the first and second wireless networks, the collected sets of status and operational data from the first and second wireless bridges positioned on the plurality of mobile mining equipment to a host equipment control computer; (e) processing, with the host equipment control computer, at least part of the collected sets of status and operational data received from the first and second wireless bridges via the first and second wireless networks; (f) providing at least part of the collected sets of status and operational data for display on a user interface of a field operator'"'"'s personal computing device operative to remotely monitor and control at least a portion of the features of the plurality of mobile mining equipment; and (g) transmitting from the host computer to the plurality of mobile mining equipment, via at least one of the plurality of mobile mining equipment, data and instructions for controlling the plurality of mobile mining equipment. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for real-time remote monitoring and control of mobile mining equipment, the system comprising:
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(a) means for establishing a first wireless network according to a first radio frequency band for monitoring and controlling the plurality of mobile mining equipment; (b) means for establishing a second wireless network according to a second radio frequency band substantially different from the first radio frequency band for monitoring and controlling the plurality of mobile mining equipment concurrently with the first wireless network and for communicating substantially concurrently the same or substantially the same data transmitted via the first wireless network; (c) means for collecting a set of status and operational data from each of the plurality of mobile mining equipment to form collected sets of status and operational data; (d) means for transmitting over the first and second wireless networks the collected sets of status and operational data to a host equipment control computer; (e) means for processing at least part of the transmitted collected sets of status and operational data received over the first and second wireless networks; (f) means for providing at least part of the collected sets of status and operational data for display to allow a user to remotely monitor and control at least a portion of the features of the plurality of mobile mining equipment; and (g) means for transmitting to the plurality of mobile mining equipment, data and instructions for controlling the plurality of mobile mining equipment. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for real-time remote monitoring and control of mobile equipment, the system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers each positionable on a corresponding one of a plurality of mobile equipment, each of the plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers operative to collect a set of status and operational data from the corresponding one of the plurality of mobile equipment, and operative to control at least one feature of the corresponding one of the plurality of mobile equipment; (b) a plurality of first wireless bridges each positionable on at least one of the plurality of mobile equipment, each of the first wireless bridges operative to communicate according to a first radio frequency band, operative to transmit the first set of status and operational data for processing, and operative to receive data and instructions for controlling at least one of the plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers; (c) a plurality of second wireless bridges each positionable on at least one of the plurality of mobile equipment, each of the second wireless bridges operative to communicate according to a second radio frequency band substantially different from the first radio frequency band, operative to transmit, concurrent with the same or substantially the same data transmitted by the plurality of first wireless bridges, the first set of status and operational data, and operative to receive, concurrent with the same or substantially the same data and instructions received by any of the plurality of first wireless bridges, data and instructions for controlling at least one of the plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers; and (d) a host equipment control computer operative to communicate with the plurality of mobile equipment via a first one of the plurality of mobile equipment, and operative to control at least a set of features on the plurality of mobile equipment, the host equipment control computer comprising an equipment monitoring and control program stored on a computer-readable media, the program comprising computer-readable instructions adapted to instruct the host equipment control computer to; (i) monitor for and process status and operational data specific to each of the plurality of mobile equipment, received via both the plurality of first wireless bridges and the plurality of second wireless bridges when positioned on the mobile equipment, including control data and run status data for each of the plurality of mobile equipment; (ii) provide at least part of each set of status and operational data for display on a user interface displayed on a display device connected to at least one of the host equipment control computer or a remote computer in communication with the host equipment control computer; and (iii) transmit to at least one of the plurality of equipment data collectors and controllers, via the first one of the plurality of mobile equipment, data and instructions for controlling the set of features on the plurality of mobile equipment. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 37, 38)
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Specification