Method and system for GPS based navigation and hazard avoidance in a mining environment

• US 8,816,883 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modular Mining Systems Incorporated (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Modular Mining Systems Incorporated (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rearte, Mario Leonel, Rttig, Andree, Andrade, Paulo Rogrio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/323,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20120081237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 731/46, 373/48, 374/15, 701/2, 701/30, 701/50, 701/209, 701/301, 348/211.3, 463/42, 709/219, 726/27, 707/705, 342/357.25
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

A system and method for GPS based navigation and hazard avoidance in a mining environment are described. The system includes a central application that has a dynamic roadmap definition module adapted to at least allow a user to arbitrarily define features in a geographical information systems database and import overhead imaging data corresponding to a geographical area in which said features are defined. The central application includes a remote position and attitude reception module adapted to at least receive data concerning the position of at least one remote vehicle, a transceiver module adapted for exchanging data with at least one remote vehicle; and a logging and tracking module adapted for at least logging said position of at least one remote vehicle over time. The system also has a remote application; and a communications link adapted for exchanging data between the central application and the remote application.

Claims

1. A navigation and hazard avoidance system for a mining vehicle operating within a mining environment, comprising:

a position tracker configured to receive a plurality of features and a plurality of zones defined around each of the features from a geographical information systems database, each of the plurality of zones defining a different threat level and including a different geographical volume;

a navigation aid configured to display a current position of the mining vehicle with respect to the features; and

a violation manager configured to;

determine whether at least a portion of the mining vehicle falls within at least a first one of the plurality of zones defined around a first feature retrieved from the geographical information systems database, and

when the at least the portion of the mining vehicle falls within the first one of the plurality of zones defined around the first feature, generate an alarm to a user of the mining vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mining vehicle includes at least one of a shovel, a bulldozer and a material removal truck.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the position tracker is configured to receive overhead imaging data corresponding to a position of the plurality of features.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the navigation aid is configured to display the overhead imaging data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the current position of the mining vehicle falls within one of the plurality of zones defining a different threat level defined around the first feature, the violation manager is configured to return an indication having a type, the type of the indication being determined by a distance between the mining vehicle and the first feature.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the features from the geographical information systems database include at least one of routes, route attributes, hazards, and points of interest.

7. The system of claim 1, including a position sensor adapted to calculate the current position of the mining vehicle using Global Positioning System satellites.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the features from the geographical information systems database include routes and route speed limits and the violation manager is configured to determine whether the mining vehicle is near or has exceeded a route speed limit.

9. A method for navigation and hazard avoidance in a mining environment, comprising:

receiving a plurality of features and a plurality of zones defined around each of the features from a geographical information systems database, each of the plurality of zones defining a different threat level and including a different geographical volume;

displaying a current position of a mining vehicle with respect to the features;

determining whether at least a portion of the mining vehicle falls within at least a first one of the plurality of zones defined around a first feature retrieved from the geographical information systems database; and

when the at least a portion of the mining vehicle falls within the first one of the plurality of zones defined around the first feature, generating an alarm to a user of the mining vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mining vehicle includes at least one of a shovel, a bulldozer and a material removal truck.

11. The method of claim 9, including receiving overhead imaging data corresponding to a position of the plurality of features.

12. The method of claim 11, including displaying the overhead imaging data.

13. The method of claim 9, including, when the current position of the mining vehicle falls within one of the plurality of zones defining a different threat level defined around the first feature, returning an indication having a type, the type of the indication being determined by a distance between the mining vehicle and the first feature.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the features from the geographical information systems database include at least one of routes, route attributes, hazards, and points of interest.

15. A computer readable medium having instructions operable to define a navigation and hazard avoidance system for a mining vehicle operating within a mining environment, comprising:

a position tracker configured to receive a plurality of features and a plurality of zones defined around each of the features from a geographical information systems database, each of the plurality of zones defining a different threat level and including a different geographical volume;

a navigation aid configured to display a current position of the mining vehicle with respect to the features; and

a violation manager configured to;

determine whether at least a portion of the mining vehicle falls within at least a first one of the plurality of zones defined around a first feature retrieved from the geographical information systems database, and

when the at least the portion of the mining vehicle falls within the first one of the plurality of zones defined around the first feature, generate an alarm to a user of the mining vehicle.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the mining vehicle includes at least one of a shovel, a bulldozer and a material removal truck.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the position tracker is configured to receive overhead imaging data corresponding to a position of the plurality of features.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the navigation aid is configured to display the overhead imaging data.