UNDERGROUND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS AND PERSONNEL TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20090140852A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerald L. Stolarczyk, Igor Bausov, Larry G. Stolarczyk
• Original Assignee: Gerald L. Stolarczyk, Igor Bausov, Larry G. Stolarczyk
• Inventors: Bausov, Igor, Stolarczyk, Larry G., Stolarczyk, Gerald L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.130
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/04 Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use

Abstract

An underground radio communications and personnel tracking system uses a portable communications device worn by a miner when underground in a mine. A cap-lamp transceiver provides voice and text communication on ultra-low frequency (ULF) to ultra-high frequency (UHF) carrier frequencies and modulation adapted by programming of a software defined radio to making selective and agile radio contacts via through-the-earth, conductor/lifeline, coal seam, tunnel, and ionosphere/earth-surface waveguides for transmission of electromagnetic waves. These waveguides comprise layered earth coal and mineral deposits, and manmade mining complex infrastructures which serendipitously form efficient waveguides. Ultra-Low Frequency F1/F1 repeaters are placed underground in the mine, and providing for extended range of communication of the cap-lamp transceiver with radios and tracking devices above ground of the mine.

Claims

1. An underground radio communications and personnel tracking system, comprising:

a portable communications device for wearing by a miner when underground in a mine;

a cap-lamp transceiver included in the portable communications device that provides voice and text communication on ultra-low frequency (ULF) to ultra-high frequency (UHF) carrier frequencies and modulation adapted by programming of a software defined radio to making selective and agile radio contacts via through-the-earth, conductor/lifeline, coal seam, tunnel, and ionosphere/earth-surface waveguides for transmission of electromagnetic waves;

wherein said waveguides comprise layered earth coal and mineral deposits, and manmade mining complex infrastructures which form natural waveguides.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

ULF F1/F1 repeaters for underground placement in said mine, and providing for extended range of communication of the cap-lamp transceiver with radios above ground of the mine;

wherein, the ULF F1/F1 repeaters intercommunicate with others via through-the-earth, conductor/lifeline, coal seam, tunnel, and ionosphere/earth-surface waveguides.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for underground placement in said mine, and providing information on interrogation about its location;

an RFID tag reader included in the portable communications device, and capable of interrogating nearby RFID tags in said mine and then announcing a location to said miner and to radios above ground of the mine.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a text messaging device included in the portable communications device, and capable of communicating messages with radios above ground of the mine.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a situation control center able to track the locations of miners and communicate with them from above ground through the portable communications device via said through-the-earth, conductor/lifeline, coal seam, tunnel, and ionosphere/earth-surface waveguides.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an electromagnetic (EM) gradiometer and communications transceiver able to detect the locations of miners and communicate with them from above ground when overhead of the portable communications device and via said through-the-earth waveguide.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said waveguides are combined into a bi-directional, self-healing, transmission paths by the combination of F1/F1 repeaters and Hill-Wait multi-mode lifeline cable; and

said through-the-earth waveguide transmission provides an emergency transmission path between the surface and a section power center and refuse chamber, with a ULF F1/F1 repeater providing a redundant path to the surface.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a conductor/lifeline cable for supporting Hill-Wait monofilar and bifilar modes of transmission, and that is constructed with a multi-strand steel core with at least two 16-gauge insulated copper conductor wires, and a multi-core fiber optic, all for installation in man and material entries of said mine; and

molded way-out Braille indicators with passive RFID tags periodically attached to the conductor/lifeline cable.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a vertical magnetic dipole (VMD) included in a cap-lamp battery enclosure to create a horizontally polarized electric field component for inducing monofilar current flows in nearby conductor/lifeline cable; and

an electrical connection of the extreme ends of loops of the conductor/lifeline cables to form a mesh bi-directional transmission network.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

trickle chargers for maintaining a constant charge in batteries supplying the F1/F1 repeaters from a mine section power center and two insulated copper conductors in the conductor/lifeline cable.

11. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a single magnetic dipole antenna for each F1/F1 repeater.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a cylindrical enclosure for insertion into a vertical roof borehole and providing protection for an F1/F1 repeater.

13. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a 2000-Hz F1/F1 repeater and vertical magnetic dipole antenna enclosed in a flame proof enclosure to provide bidirectional through-the-earth waveguide transmission between the end of a development entry power center or refuse chamber and the surface; and

a 200-Hz F1/F1 repeater and vertical magnetic dipole antenna enclosed in a flame proof enclosure to provide bidirectional coal seam waveguide transmissions.