Mine management system and mine managing method

• US 9,828,748 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Hiranaka, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US15/423,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20170145663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/261 Surveying the work-site to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/268 with failure correction follow-up actions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/02 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

Provided is a mine management system for a mine where an unmanned vehicle operates in an operation area of the mine, including determining based on position data of a moving body which is different from the unmanned vehicle whether the moving body enters the operation area, starting monitoring abnormality including abnormality of at least one of communication state and position detection state of the moving body based on manipulation on an input device installed in the moving body, setting an entrance prohibited area where entrance of the unmanned vehicle is prohibited to include a position of the moving body and activating a function of expanding the entrance prohibited area when an abnormality is detected, and activating an alarm device installed in the moving body when it is determined that the moving body enters the operation area and the input device is not manipulated.

Claims

1. A mine management system for a mine where an unmanned vehicle operates in an operation area of the mine, comprising:

an abnormality monitoring unit which performs monitoring abnormality including abnormality of at least one of communication state and position detection state of a moving body which is different from the unmanned vehicle; and

an entrance prohibited area setting unit which sets an entrance prohibited area where entrance of the unmanned vehicle is prohibited so that the entrance prohibited area includes a position of the moving body and activates a function of expanding the entrance prohibited area when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality monitoring unit.

2. The mine management system according to claim 1, wherein when the abnormality is detected by the abnormality monitoring unit, the entrance prohibited area setting unit reckons a probable existence area of the moving body to expand the entrance prohibited area.

3. The mine management system according to claim 1, wherein the entrance prohibited area setting unit expands the entrance prohibited area based on at least one of position data representing an absolute position of the moving body at a time point when an accuracy of the position of the moving body detected by a position sensor installed in the moving body is normal, speed data representing a running speed of the moving body at the time point, and steering data representing a steering angle of a driving device installed in the moving body at the time point.

4. The mine management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an entrance determination unit which determines based on position data of the moving body whether or not the moving body enters the operation area, and

wherein when it is determined that the moving body enters the operation area, the abnormality monitoring unit performs the abnormality monitoring.

5. The mine management system according to claim 4, wherein when it is determined that the moving body does not enter the operation area, the abnormality monitoring unit cancels the abnormality monitoring.

6. The mine management system according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality monitoring unit performs the monitoring abnormality based on manipulation on an input device installed in the moving body.

7. The mine management system according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality monitoring unit notifies to the moving body a message indicating that the abnormality monitoring is started.

8. The mine management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm device control unit which activates an alarm device installed in the moving body when it is determined that the moving body enters the operation area and the input device is not manipulated.

9. A mine managing method by a computer system for a mine where an unmanned vehicle operates in an operation area of the mine, comprising:

performing monitoring abnormality including abnormality of at least one of communication state and position detection state of a moving body which is different from the unmanned vehicle;

setting entrance prohibited area where entrance of the unmanned vehicle is prohibited so that the entrance prohibited area includes a position of the moving body; and

activating a function of expanding the entrance prohibited area when an abnormality is detected by the monitoring abnormality.