METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATING AND TRACKING OBJECTS IN A MINING ENVIRONMENT
First Claim
1. A method for locating and tracking objects in a mine, comprising:
- selecting an operational area in the mine within which the locations of a plurality of objects are to be determined and tracked over time;
providing a radio transceiver system to each of the plurality objects operating in the operational area;
providing to each of the objects operating in the operational area a display system that is operatively associated with the radio transceiver system;
operating the radio transceiver systems to form an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network;
determining the time-of-flight of radio signals exchanged between various ones of the radio transceiver systems;
analyzing the time-of-flight of such exchanged radio signals to determine the relative positions of the various objects within the operational area; and
displaying the relative positions of the various objects within the operational area on the display system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for locating and tracking objects in a mining environment are disclosed that include selecting an operational area within which the locations of a plurality of objects are to be determined and tracked over time. Radio transceiver systems and associated display systems provided to the plurality objects are operated to form an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network. The relative positions of the various objects are determined by measuring the time-of-flight of radio signals exchanged between various ones of the radio transceiver systems and analyzing the time-of-flight of such exchanged radio signals. The relative positions of at least some of the objects within the operational area are then displayed on the display system.
90 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for locating and tracking objects in a mine, comprising:
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selecting an operational area in the mine within which the locations of a plurality of objects are to be determined and tracked over time; providing a radio transceiver system to each of the plurality objects operating in the operational area; providing to each of the objects operating in the operational area a display system that is operatively associated with the radio transceiver system; operating the radio transceiver systems to form an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network; determining the time-of-flight of radio signals exchanged between various ones of the radio transceiver systems; analyzing the time-of-flight of such exchanged radio signals to determine the relative positions of the various objects within the operational area; and displaying the relative positions of the various objects within the operational area on the display system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 33, 34)
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22. A tracking system, comprising:
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a plurality of objects located within an operational area of a mine within which the locations of said plurality of objects are to be determined and tracked over time; a radio transceiver system operatively associated with individual ones of said plurality of objects, said radio transceiver system comprising; rf transceiver means for transmitting and receiving radio signals; and processor means operatively associated with said rf transceiver means for determining a time-of-flight required for radio signals to be exchanged between various ones of said plurality of radio transceiver systems and for determining locations of various ones of said plurality of radio transceiver systems based on the time-of-flight of exchanged radio signals; and a display system operatively associated with at least some of said plurality of radio transceiver systems, said display system being responsive to signals from said radio transceiver system, said display system displaying the relative positions of the various objects within the mine. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36)
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37. A method, comprising:
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selecting an operational area in a mine within which the locations of a plurality of objects are to be determined and tracked over time; providing to each of the objects operating in the operational area a radio transceiver system; providing to each of the objects operating in the operational area a display system that is operatively associated with the radio transceiver system; operating at least one of the radio transceiver systems in a radar mode to determine a relative position of an object within the operational area; and displaying the relative position of the object within the operational area on at least one of the display systems provided to each of the objects. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A tracking system, comprising:
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a plurality of objects located within an operational area in a mine within which the locations of said plurality of mine objects are to be determined and tracked over time; a radio transceiver system operatively associated with individual ones of said plurality of mine objects, said radio transceiver system comprising; rf transceiver means for transmitting and receiving radio signals; processor means operatively associated with said rf transceiver means for operating said rf transceiver means in a radar mode to determine locations of objects in the operational area by means of radar, and for causing a plurality of said radio transceiver systems to form an ad-hoc, peer-to-peer network; and a display system operatively associated with at least some of said plurality of radio transceiver systems, said display system being responsive to signals from said radio transceiver system, said display system displaying the relative positions of objects located within the operational area. - View Dependent Claims (44)
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Specification