METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING MATERIAL
First Claim
1. A method for tracking material through a production chain or operational process chain in which the material is transferred via a plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material, the method comprising:
- maintaining a dynamic state space descriptive of the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material, wherein a quantity of entries in the dynamic state space is varied dependent on a quantity of spatially distinct lumped masses being tracked;
maintaining a dynamic covariance matrix associated with the dynamic state space, wherein a dimension of the dynamic covariance matrix is varied dependent on a quantity of spatially distinct lumped masses of material being tracked;
receiving one or more measurements relating to an observed lumped mass of material; and
fusing the received one or more measurements into the dynamic state space and dynamic covariance matrix to provide an updated estimate of material in the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems are described for tracking material through a production chain or operational process chain in which the material is transferred via a plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material (12, 14, 16, 18). A dynamic state space (430) is maintained descriptive of the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material, wherein a quantity of entries in the dynamic state space is augmented or diminished dependent on a quantity of spatially distinct lumped masses being tracked. Measurements relating to an observed lumped mass of material are fused into the dynamic state space and a dynamic covariance matrix to provide an updated estimate of material in the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material.
24 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for tracking material through a production chain or operational process chain in which the material is transferred via a plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material, the method comprising:
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maintaining a dynamic state space descriptive of the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material, wherein a quantity of entries in the dynamic state space is varied dependent on a quantity of spatially distinct lumped masses being tracked; maintaining a dynamic covariance matrix associated with the dynamic state space, wherein a dimension of the dynamic covariance matrix is varied dependent on a quantity of spatially distinct lumped masses of material being tracked; receiving one or more measurements relating to an observed lumped mass of material; and fusing the received one or more measurements into the dynamic state space and dynamic covariance matrix to provide an updated estimate of material in the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for tracking material through a mining production chain in which the material is transferred via a plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material, the system comprising:
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a plurality of sensors for measuring attributes of the spatially distinct lumped masses of material; and a processor in data communication with the plurality of sensors and comprising instructions that, in use, cause the processor to; maintain a dynamic state space descriptive of the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses, wherein a quantity of entries in the dynamic state space is varied dependent on a quantity of spatially distinct lumped masses of material being tracked; receive one or more measurements from the plurality of sensors relating to an observed lumped mass of material; and fuse the received one or more measurements into the dynamic state space to provide an updated estimate of material in the plurality of spatially distinct lumped masses of material. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A system for tracking material through a mining production chain, comprising:
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a) at least one excavator having; i) an excavator sensor that in use scans a surface of material to be excavated; and ii) a location sensor, wherein, based on the surface scan, an associated processor estimates a quantity of material excavated by the excavator as a first spatially distinct lumped mass of material; b) at least one haul truck that in use receives excavated material from the at least one excavator, wherein material loaded into the haul truck comprises a second spatially distinct lumped mass of material and wherein, in use, material is offloaded from the at least one haul truck to define at least a third spatially distinct lumped mass of material; c) a monitoring system that tracks movement of the at least one haul truck; and d) a material-tracking processor in data communication with the at least one excavator, the at least one haul truck and the monitoring system, wherein the material tracking processor maintains a dynamic state space descriptive of the first, second and third spatially distinct lumped masses of material and fuses information characterising the material in the mining production chain to provide an updated estimate of the spatially distinct lumped masses of material.
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Specification