Tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines

• US 8,816,850 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
• Original Assignee: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
• Inventors: Bandyopadhyay, Lakshmi Kanta, Chaulya, Swades Kumar, Mishra, Pankaj Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Syed, Nabil
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US13/265,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20120127924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.16, 340/539.17, 340/988, 340/989, 340/426.18, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 379/45
• US Class Current: 340/539.17
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/18 Special adaptations of signalling or alarm devices for mine lifts B66B; gas-sensitive devices per se G01N
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines of the present invention enables continuously tracking and monitoring vehicles and moveable equipment in opencast mines using ZigBee-enabled active RFID devices forming a dynamic wireless network among them and other static and mobile ZigBee devices placed at strategic locations. The present invention provides a tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines comprises in combination of ZigBee-compliant devices (programmable to operate as end devices, routers and coordinators by hardware specific embedded software) and wireless sensor network software having various application modules for opencast mines. Use of the system of the present invention would help in maintaining computerized record and analysing the performance of costly shovels and dumpers deployed in opencast mines. This would help in optimising the placement of dumpers with each shovel depending on the change in working and dumping places. This would also help in maintaining computerise attendance of dumper operators and other personnel working in an opencast mine. This would further help in providing warning to the signal man and dumper operator, while dumper approaching close proximity to the signal man. This would help in establishing two-way message communication among the personnel engaged in an opencast mine. This would ultimately help in improving production, productivity and safety in opencast mine.

Claims

1. A tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines comprising a combination of a plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices in communication with a microprocessor based computing and storage device, said plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices being programmable to operate as coordinators, routers and end devices and having resident hardware specific embedded software capable of forming a dynamic wireless network among themselves such that a first plurality of said plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices are programmed as routers which are strategically placed to form an unified wireless mesh-networking infrastructure, wherein each of the programmed routers is capable of transmitting and receiving signals from one or more other routers, end devices, and one of said plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices which is programmed as a coordinator, the coordinator capable of receiving and transmitting signals to said routers and said microprocessor based computing and storage device, wherein said microprocessor based computing and storage device is provided with resident wireless sensor network application software for tracking, monitoring and storing of information received via the coordinator, characterized in that each of the programmable active RFID transceiver devices consist of an external caplamp battery (CB), a first light emitting diode (L1), a voltage regulator (VR), a turnover switch (TS), an internal battery supply (BS), a safety arrangement (SA), an embedded radio (ER), a programming port (PR), a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter output (UO), an analog to digital converter (Al), a buzzer (BU), a message switch (MS), and a second light emitting diode (L2);

wherein the external caplamp battery (CB) is connected to light emitting diode (L1) and voltage regulator (VR);

the voltage regulator (VR) is connected to the turnover switch (TS);

the turnover switch (TS) is connected to the internal battery supply (BS) and the safety arrangement (SA);

the safety arrangement (SA) is connected to the programming port (PR) and the embedded radio (ER); and

the embedded radio (ER) is separately connected to the programming port (PR), the universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter output (UO), the analog to digital converter input (AI), the buzzer (BU), the message switch (MS), and the second light emitting diode (L2).

2. The tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of the programmable active RFID transceiver devices is a Zigbee-compliant device.

3. The tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a message transmitter is connected to the plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices by an RS232 serial port for sending key-pad typed messages from any end device /router/coordinator to a particular end device or coordinator having the microprocessor based computer and storage device, the message transmitter including key pad switches (KS), a microcontroller (MC), an LCD display (LD), a latch (LA),a. UART interfacing IC (UT), and an RS232 serial output port (RS);

wherein the key pad switches (KS) are connected to microcontroller (MC);

the microcontroller (MC) is separately connected to the LCD display (LD), the latch (LA) and the UART interfacing IC (UT);

the latch (LA) and the LCD display (LD) are connected with each other; and

the UART interfacing IC (UT) is connected to the RS232 serial output port (RS).

4. The tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices are provided with resident hardware specific embedded software to act as coordinator, router and end device forms an IEEE 802.15.4-based mesh network for tracking of vehicles and equipment by wireless sensor networking in opencast mines.

5. The tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resident wireless sensor network application software is provided with the following modules:

i) tracking of vehicles and equipment, (ii) performance analysis of shovel-dumper combination, (iii) optimum placement of shovels, (iv) computerized attendance, (v) collision prevention and sending alert signal, and (vi) two-way message communication.

6. The tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resident hardware specific embedded software for programming the plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices to function as coordinator, router and end devices to collectively form a dynamic wireless network is compiled and debugged in an IAR Embedded Workbench and TI-MAC Library using ‘

C’

language.

7. The tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tracking and monitoring system is capable of automatically forming a dynamic network among one or more undisturbed and reachable routers so that communication does not get disturbed in the whole mine.

8. A tracking and monitoring system for opencast mines, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tracking and monitoring system is a low-powered, easy to install and cost-effective system for opencast mines.

9. A method of tracking and monitoring vehicles and equipment in opencast mines using a tracking and monitoring system comprising:

(i) providing a combination of a plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices in communication with a microprocessor based computing and storage device, said plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices being programmable to operate as coordinators, routers and end devices and having resident hardware specific embedded software capable of forming a dynamic wireless network among themselves such that a first plurality of said plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices are programmed as routers which are strategically placed to form an unified wireless mesh-networking infrastructure, wherein each of the programmed routers is capable of transmitting and receiving signals from one or more other routers, end devices, and one of said plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices which is programmed as a coordinator, the coordinator capable of receiving and transmitting signals to said routers and said microprocessor based computing and storage device, wherein said microprocessor based computing and storage device is provided with resident wireless sensor network application software for tracking, monitoring and storing of information received via the coordinator, characterized in that each of the programmable active RFID transceiver devices consist of an external caplamp battery (CB), a first light emitting diode (L1), a voltage regulator (VR), a turnover switch (TS), an internal battery supply (BS), a safety arrangement (SA), an embedded radio (ER), a programming port (PR), a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter output (UO), an analog to digital converter (Al), a buzzer (BU), a message switch (MS), and a second light emitting diode (L2);

wherein the external caplamp battery (CB) is connected to light emitting diode (L1) and voltage regulator (VR);

the voltage regulator (VR) is connected to the turnover switch (TS);

the turnover switch (TS) is connected to the internal battery supply (BS) and the safety arrangement (SA);

the safety arrangement (SA) is connected to the programming port (PR) and the embedded radio (ER); and

the embedded radio (ER) is separately connected to the programming port (PR), the universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter output (UO), the analog to digital converter input (AI), the buzzer (BU), the message switch (MS), and the second light emitting diode (L2);

(ii)programming the plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices to operate as one of a coordinator, routers and end devices;

(iii)assigning the programmable active RFID transceiver devices programmed as end devices to one or more vehicles, personnel and equipment of an opencast mine;

(iv) placing the programmable active RFID transceiver devices programmed as routers at various locations of the opencast mine, characterized in that the programmed routers are configured to automatically form dynamic wireless mesh network among themselves, a programmable active RFID transceiver device programmed as a coordinator, and the programmed end devices positioned at one or more locations of the mine; and

(v) receiving information from one or more of the programmed routers by the programmed coordinator, the programmed coordinator being configured to send the information to the microprocessor based computing and storage device, wherein the microprocessor based computing and storage device is configured to;

(a) track vehicles and equipment in the opencast mine;

(b) establish two-way message communication among the end devices, wherein the two-way message communication is facilitated by setting a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) buffer of end devices;

(c) automatically perform optimal shovel-dumpers performance at one or more loading points and graphically display results;

(d) perform optimum placement of shovels;

(e) maintain computerized attendance of personnel working in the opencast mines; and

(f) prevent collisions and sending alert signals.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of programming the plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices comprises:

(i) assigning network identification and addresses to a plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices for defining one or more coordinator, router and end device;

(ii) declaring associated devices of each programmable active RFID transceiver device;

(iii) incorporating power saving algorithm in the end devices;

(iv) adjusting timer and range for transmission of signals for each programmable active RFID transceiver device; and

(v) compiling and debugging programming of the programmable active RFID transceiver devices in an IAR Embedded Workbench and TI-MAC Library using ‘

C ’

language for making the RFID devices ready.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein step of providing a combination of a plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices comprises providing ZigBee-enabled Active RFID devices.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein step of providing a combination of a plurality of programmable active RFID transceiver devices comprises providing ZigBee-enabled Active RFID devices.