WO2007007232A1

WO2007007232A1 - Object detection system and method for use with mining machine

Info

Publication number: WO2007007232A1
Application number: PCT/IB2006/052241
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eugene De Villiers; Wayne Sebastian Hannigan; Arie Willem Kruger
Original assignee: KLOOFSIG HANDELAARS CC
Current assignee: KLOOFSIG HANDELAARS CC
Priority date: 2005-07-07
Filing date: 2006-07-04
Publication date: 2007-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2008-01-07
Also published as: AU2006267949A1; ZA200710712B

Abstract

An object detection system ( 10) for use by an operator (20) of a mining machine (12) at a mining site (10) comprises at least one local position determining means mountabie on a respective host object (28,30) and operative to determine respective position data relating to a position of the host object (28,30) at the site. A central controller is mounted on the mining machine. A wireless communications link (42) between the central controller and the at least one object (28,30) is used for transmitting the respective position data to the central controller. The central controller is configured to receive the data and to provide at the mining machine (12) an indication relating to the position of the host object (28,30), based on the data received.

Description

Object detection system and method for use with mining machine

TECHNICAL FtELD

This invention relates to an object detection system and method for an

operator of a mining machine and more particularly to a vehicle

detection system and method, to assist an operator of a drag line

excavator.

Drag line excavators used in above ground mining operations comprise

a body having a cabin for an operator and a jib extending away from

the body. A cable extends along the jib and is attached to a bucket for

withdrawing piled material from a first remote position to a loading

platform or another position at the site. In some excavators, the jib

may be tenths of meters long, typically about 80 meters, and the jib is

rotatable through a full circle about a substantially vertical axis of

rotation. It will be appreciated that the jib when rotated through at

least part of the circle, could cause serious damage to vehicles at the

mining site which may be approaching the excavator.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a

system and method with which the applicant believes the

aforementioned disadvantages may at least be alleviated. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided an object detection

system for use by an operator of a mining machine at a mining site,

the system comprising

- at least one local position determining means mountable on a

respective host object and operative to determine respective

position data relating to a position of the host object at the

site;

- a central controller mountable on the mining machine;

- a wireless communications link establishable between the

central controller and the at least one object for transmitting

the respective position data to the central controller; and

- the central controller being configured to receive the data

and to provide at the mining machine an indication relating to

the position of the host object, based on the data received.

The mining machine may be a drag line excavator (DLEh and the at

least one host object may be a stationary object or a moving object

such as a vehicle operative at the mining site,

The local position determining means may be connected to a local

controller mountable on the at least one host object and the local controller may be connected to a wireless transceiver, which, in use,

forms part of the wireless link.

The link may be a radio frequency link.

The system may comprise a complementary transceiver mountable on

the mining machine and the complementary transceiver may be

connected to the central controller.

The system may further comprise a first central position determining

means which is connectable to the central controller and mountable on

the mining machine.

The mining machine may comprise a body and a jib extending away

from the body, the first central position determining means may be

mounted on the body and the system may comprise a second position

determining means connected to the centra! controller and which is

mounted towards a distal end of the jib.

The central controller may be configured to receive from the first and

second central position determining means respectively, position data relation the position of first central position determining means and the

position of the second position determining means.

The system may comprise a monitor connected to the central

controller and mountabie on the body, the central controller being

configured to generate on the monitor and in real time a representation

of the relative positions of the at least one object at the site and the

machine, preferably of the body and the distal end of the jib. The

representation may comprise a graphical representation.

The central controller may be configured to compute distance data

based on the aforementioned position data and the system may further

comprise an indicator connected to the central controller and

mountabie on the machine, to provide a first audible and/or visual

indication when the at least on object is closer than a first distance

from any of the first central position determining means and the

second central position determining means; and a second indication

when the at least one object is closer than a second distance from any

one of the first central position determining means and the second

central position determining means. The second distance may be

smaller than the first distance. Any one of the first central position determining means, the second

central position determining means and the at least one local position

determining means may comprise a Global Positioning System (GPS)

receiver.

Also included with the scope of the present invention is a method of

determining at a mining machine at a mining site the position of

another object at the site, the method comprising the steps of:

- automatically determining at the object, data relating to the

position of the object;

- transmitting the object position data to the mining machine;

and

- at the mining machine providing an operator perceivable

indication relating to the position of the object.

The position data may be transmitted via a wireless link, preferably an

RF link.

The object position data may be determined and transmitted

intermittently, preferably periodically and in real time. The method may comprise the step of computing at the mining

machine from the position data and data relating to the position of the

machine, a computed distance between the object and the machine.

The method may still further comprise the step of, at the machine,

providing a first indication when the computed distance is smaller than

a first distance and a second indication when the computed distance is

smaller than a second distance.

Also included within the scope of the present invention is an object or

vehicle mountable part of the system as herein defined and/or

described; as well as a mining machine mountable part as herein

defined and/or described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DiAGRAMS

The invention will now further be described, by way of example only,

with reference to the accompanying diagrams wherein

figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a mining machine in the

form of a drag line excavator comprising an object detection

system according to the invention at a mining site;

figure 2 is a block diagram of a first part of the system hosted on

another vehicle at the site; figure 3 is block diagram of second part of the system which is

hosted on the excavator; and

figure 4 is a representation of a typical display generated on a

monitor forming part of the second part of the system.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In figure 1 , there is shown at an above ground mining site 10, a

mining machine in the form of a known drag line excavator (DLE) 12.

The DLE comprises a body 13 on a known wheeled base 14

comprising endless tracks 16. The body comprises a cabin 18 for a

human operator 20. A jib 22 extends away from the body and a cable

24 extends along the jib and is connected to a bucket (not shown).

The jib 22 is movable under control of the operator 20 in elevation A

and also in bearing B through 360 degrees relative to a substantially

vertical axis of rotation 26. The jib 22 may typically be about 80

meters in length. The bucket is used to withdraw material from a first

remote position (not shown) at the site 10 to a loading platform (also

not shown) or other position (also not shown) at the site. It will be

appreciated that should the jib be rotated through part of the 360

degrees relative to axis 26, it could have serious consequences for

objects, such as other vehicles 28 and 30 at the site, which may be

moving in a direction towards or approaching the DLE. According to the invention there is provided an object detection

system, more particularly a vehicle position detection system 44 to

assist the operator 20. The system 44 comprises at least one, but

preferably a plurality of substantially identical vehicle mountable parts

32, one of which is shown in figure 2, Each vehicle 28,30 operative at

the site 10 is provided with a respective vehicle mountable part 32 of

the system. The vehicle mountable part comprises a local controller 34

connected to a local or vehicle mountable position determining means,

which may comprise a global positioning system (GPS) receiver 36.

The receiver 36 is configured to receive in known manner signals 37

from a GPS system comprising earth orbiting satellites 38, shown in

figure 1 . The vehicle mountable part further comprises a wireless,

preferably radio frequency and more preferably a BIueTooth transceiver

40. The transceiver 40 forms part of a wireless communications link

42 between the vehicle and the DLE.

A second and central part 46 of the system 44 is mountable on and

hosted on the DIE 12. The central part 46 comprises a controller 48

connected to a first central GPS receiver 50 mounted on the body 13

of the DLE 12 and a second central GPS receiver 52 mounted towards

a distal end 22.1 of the jib 22. The receivers 50 and 52 may be

connected to the controller by optical cables. The controller is also connected to a transceiver 54, which is complementary to transceivers

40 of the vehicle mountable parts 32 to form the aforementioned

wireless link 42. The controller 48 is further connected to a monitor

56 mounted in the cabin 18 and on which the controller generates in

real time a display illustrating graphically the relative positions of at

least some of: the body 13 of the DLE, the distal end 22.1 of the jib

22 and of vehicles 28 and 30 at the site 10. An example of the

display generated is shown at 60 in figure 4. The controller 48 is still

further connected to an audible and/or visible indicator 58 mounted in

the cabin 18 to provide a human operator perceivable indications, as

will hereinafter be described.

in use, the GPS receivers 36 on vehicles 28 and 30 receive in known

manner signals 37.1 and 37.2 respectively from the GPS system.

Position data for the respective vehicles is locally and intermittently,

preferably periodically, received or generated by the controllers 34 of

the vehicles. This position data is intermittently, preferably periodically

transmitted via respective links 42 to the central part 46 of the system

44. At the same time, the GPS receivers 50 and 52 also receive in

known manner signals from the GPS system. The controller 48 is

configured intermittently, preferably periodically, to receive position

data relating to the position of the body 13 and the end 22.1 of the jib, or if necessary, to compute such data. This latter data and the

received data relating to the positions of the vehicles are utilized by

the central controller to generate a display 60 on monitor 56 in the

cabin 18 of the DLE. The display illustrates the relative positions of the

body 13, end 22.1 of the jib 22 and of vehicles at times ti to tβ The

display also illustrates the direction X, Y of travel of the two vehicles,

as well as their respective speeds.

Vehicle 28 is in a proximity warning region 62 within a first distance

Zi from the machine and is shown in a first colour. Vehicle 30 entered

a danger region 64 within a second distance Zt from the machine and

is shown in a second colour, preferably red. The audible and/or visible

indicator is configured to provide two distinct indications for vehicles

in the proximity region 62 and the danger region 64 respectively.

These signals and the display illustrating in real time the relative

positions of the aforementioned elements, facilitate the operator's

ability to operate the DLE in a safer manner.

The central controller 48 may be configured to compute from the

object position data and position data relating to the position of the

machine obtained from any one of the first and second central position

determining means 50 and 52, distance data relating to the distance between the object and the machine. The controller 48 is further

configured to cause the indicator 58 to provide a first indication when

the computed distance is smaller than a first distance Zi and a second

different indication when the computed distance is smaller than a

second distance 7.2.

In use, the operator 20 may be prompted to activate a switch, key or

the like connected to the controller 34, to indicate that he has seen a

vehicle entering any one of regions 62 and 64. Activation of the

switch may be logged with relevant position data at the time, time

stamped and stored in the memory arrangement associated with the

controller 34 for future retrieval and analyses.

Claims

1 . An object detection system for use by an operator of a mining

machine at a mining site, the system comprising

- at least one local position determining means mountable on a

respective host object and operative to determine respective

position data relating to a position of the host object at the

site;

- a central controller mountable on the mining machine;

- a wireless communications link establishable between the

central controller and the at least one object for transmitting

the respective position data to the central controller; and

- the central controller being configured to receive the data

and to provide at the mining machine an indication relating to

the position of the host object, based on the data received.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one host

object is a vehicle operative at the mining site,

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the local

position determining means is connected to a focal controller

mountable on the at least one host object and wherein the local controller is connected to a wireless transceiver, which, in use,

forms part of the wireless link.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the link is a radio

frequency link.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the link comprises a

complementary transceiver mountable on the mining machine

and wherein the complementary transceiver is connected to the

central controller.

6. A system as claimed in any one of ciaims 1 to 5 comprising a

first central position determining means which is connectable to

the central controller and mountable on the mining machine.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the mining machine

comprises a body and a jib extending away from the body,

wherein the first central position determining means is mounted

on the body and wherein the system comprises a second

position determining means connected to the central controller

and which is mounted towards a distal end of the jib.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the centra! controller is

configured to receive from the first and second central position

determining means respectively, position data relation the first

central position determining means and the second position

determining means.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 comprising a monitor connected

to the central controller and mountable on the body, the central

controller being configured to generate on the monitor and in

real time a representation of the relative positions of the at least

one object at the site and the mining machine.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the representation

comprises a graphical representation,

1 1 . A system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein the

central controller is configured to compute distance data based

on the position data, wherein the system comprises an indicator

connected to the central controller and mountable in the cabin,

to provide a first audible and/or visual indication when the at

least on object is closer than a first distance from any of the

first central position determining means and the second central position determining means; and a second indication when the

at least one object is closer than a second distance from any

one of the first central position determining means.

12. A system as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 1 1 wherein any

one of the first central position determining means, the second

central position determining means and the at least one local

position determining means comprises a Global Positioning

System (GPS) receiver.

13. A method of determining at a mining machine at a mining site

the position of another object at the site, the method comprising

the steps of:

- automatically determining at the object, data relating to the

position of the object;

- transmitting the object position data to the mining machine;

and

- at the mining machine, providing an operator perceivable

indication relating to the position of the object.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the position data is

transmitted via a wireless link.

15. A method as claimed in ciaim 14 wherein the object position

data is determined and transmitted intermittently and in real

time.

16. A method as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15 comprising

the step of computing at the machine from the position data

and data relating to the position of the machine a distance

between the object and the machine.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 comprising the step of at the

machine, providing a first indication when the computed

distance is smaller than a first distance and a second indication

when the computed distance is smaller than a second distance.