Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MINING MACHINE WITH RESPECT
TO A GEOFENCE USING A DYNAMIC OPERATION ZONE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[00011 This application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application
No. 17/179,757, filed
February 19, 2021 and U.S. Patent Application No 17/179,765, filed on February
19, 2021, the
entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD
[0001] Embodiments described herein relate to operating a mining
machine with respect to a
geofence.
SUMIVIARY
[00021 A geofence is a virtual perimeter for a real-world geographic
area that is generated
using a predefined set of boundaries using global navigation satellite system
("GNSS")
technology. The geofence logic enables software to trigger a response when a
mobile industrial
machine (for example, a mining machine, such as a blasthole drill, a rope
shovel, or the like) leaves
the pre-defined geographic area, which ensures that the machine stays within a
designated area. In
a mine setting, a mining machine may inadvertently be driven into a high wall,
over a berm, or
into a restricted region.
[0003] Accordingly, embodiments described herein provide a geofence
design that enables a
mining machine to safely operate within a confined geofence area and prevents
operation outside
of the geofence area. In particular, the mining machine may freely move around
the confined
geofence area based on commands, for example, a propel command, a crowd
command, a swing
command, or another command for controlling operation of the mining machine
(i.e., autonomous
or automated commands or commands from an on-board or remote operator that
cause the mining
machine to move over the ground surface). However, as the mining machine
approaches the
geofence boundary, the embodiments described herein override the speed
commands to gradually
slow the mining machine down to a stop at the point when the mining machine
reaches the
geofence boundary. Alternatively or in addition, the embodiments described
herein determine
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whether a command will cause the mining machine to propel further into the
prohibited geofence
area (for example, into a restricted region) or away from the geofence
boundary back towards the
confined geofence area (for example, towards a permitted area). When the
command will cause
the mining machine to propel further into the prohibited geofence area, the
command is blocked
or overridden. When the command will cause the mining machine to move away
from the
geofence boundary back into the confined geofence area, the command is
executed.
[0004] One embodiment provides a system for operating a mobile
industrial machine with
respect to a geofence. The system includes an electronic processor configured
to receive a
command for controlling the mobile industrial machine. The electronic
processor is also
configured to determine whether a perimeter point of a first operation zone
positioned around the
mobile industrial machine is within a restricted region. The electronic
processor is also configured
to, in response to determining that the perimeter point of the first operation
zone is within the
restricted region, determine whether performance of the command increases
penetration of the first
operation zone into the restricted region, and control the mobile industrial
machine to perform the
command or a stop command based on whether the performance of the command
increases
penetration of the first operation zone into the restricted region. The
electronic processor is also
configured to, in response to determining that the perimeter point of the
first operation zone is not
within the restricted region, determine whether a perimeter point of a second
operation zone
positioned around the mobile industrial machine is within the restricted
region, and control the
mobile industrial machine to perform the command or a modified command based
on whether the
perimeter point of the second operation zone is within the restricted region.
[0005] Another embodiment provides a method for operating a mobile
industrial machine with
respect to a geofence. The method includes receiving, with an electronic
processor, an command
for controlling the mobile industrial machine. The method also includes
determining, with the
electronic processor, whether a perimeter point of a first operation zone
positioned around the
mobile industrial machine is within a restricted region. The method also
includes, in response to
determining that the perimeter point of the first operation zone is within the
restricted region,
determining, with the electronic processor, whether performance of the command
increases
penetration of the first operation zone into the restricted region, and
controlling, with the electronic
processor, the mobile industrial machine to perform the command or a stop
command based on
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whether the performance of the command increases penetration of the first
operation zone into the
restricted region. The method also includes, in response to determining that
the perimeter point of
the first operation zone is not within the restricted region, determining,
with the electronic
processor, whether a perimeter point of a second operation zone positioned
around the mobile
industrial machine is within the restricted region, where the first operation
zone has a smaller area
than the second operation zone and the first operation zone is positioned
within the second
operation zone, and controlling, with the electronic processor, the mobile
industrial machine to
perform the command or a modified command based on whether the perimeter point
of the second
operation zone is within the restricted region.
100061 Yet another embodiment provides a system for operating a
mobile industrial machine
with respect to a geofence. The system includes an electronic processor
configured to receive a
command for controlling the mobile industrial machine. The electronic
processor is also
configured to determine a first operation zone positioned around the mobile
industrial machine,
where the first operation zone is a dynamic area around the mobile industrial
machine, and
determine whether a perimeter point of a first operation zone positioned
around the mobile
industrial machine is within a restricted region,. The electronic processor is
also configured to, in
response to determining that the perimeter point of the first operation zone
is within the restricted
region, determine whether performance of the command in creases penetration of
the first operation
zone into the restricted region, and control the mobile industrial machine to
perform the command
or a stop command based on whether the performance of the command increases
penetration of
the first operation zone into the restricted region.
100011 Yet another embodiment provides a system for operating a mobile
industrial machine with
respect to a geofence. The system includes an electronic processor configured
to establish a first
virtual operation zone positioned around the mobile industrial machine. The
electronic processor
is also configured to establish a second virtual operation zone positioned
around the mobile
industrial machine and nested within the first virtual operating zone.
100021 Yet another embodiment provides a system for operating a mobile
industrial machine with
respect to a geofence. The system includes an electronic processor configured
to determine a first
virtual operation zone positioned around the mobile industrial machine, where
the first virtual
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operation zone is a dynamic area around the mobile industrial machine. The
electronic processor
is also configured to modify a parameter of the first virtual operation zone.
100031 Other aspects of the embodiments will become apparent by
consideration of the
detailed description and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
100041 FIG. 1 illustrates a mining machine according to some
embodiments.
100051 FIG. 2 illustrates a mining machine according to some
embodiments.
100061 FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a system for operating a
mining machine within a
geofence according to some embodiments.
100071 FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a controller of the system
of FIG. 3 according to some
embodiments.
100081 FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate a mining machine operating within
proximity to a geofence
boundary according to some embodiments.
100091 FIG. 6 illustrates angles for a mast of a mining machine
according to some
embodiments.
100101 FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating a
mining machine within a
geofence performed by the system of FIG. 3 according to some embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
100111 Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be
understood that the
embodiments are not limited in its application to the details of the
configuration and arrangement
of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
The embodiments are capable of being practiced or of being carried out in
various ways. Also, it
is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for
the purpose of
description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of ''including,"
"comprising," or
"having" and variations thereof are meant to encompass the items listed
thereafter and equivalents
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thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise,
the terms "mounted,"
"connected," "supported," and "coupled" and variations thereof are used
broadly and encompass
both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings.
100121 In addition, it should be understood that embodiments may
include hardware, software,
and electronic components or modules that, for purposes of discussion, may be
illustrated and
described as if the majority of the components were implemented solely in
hardware. However,
one of ordinary skill in the art, and based on a reading of this detailed
description, would recognize
that, in at least one embodiment, the electronic-based aspects may be
implemented in software (for
example, stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium) executable by one
or more
electronic processors, such as a microprocessor and/or application specific
integrated circuits
("ASICs''). As such, it should be noted that a plurality of hardware and
software based devices, as
well as a plurality of different structural components, may be utilized to
implement the
embodiments. For example, "servers," "computing devices," "controllers,"
"processors," and the
like, described in the specification can include one or more electronic
processors, one or more
computer-readable medium modules, one or more input/output interfaces, and
various connections
(for example, a system bus) connecting the components.
100131 Relative terminology, such as, for example, "about,"
"approximately," "substantially,"
and the like, used in connection with a quantity or condition would be
understood by those of
ordinary skill to be inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning
dictated by the context (for
example, the term includes at least the degree of error associated with the
measurement accuracy,
tolerances (for example, manufacturing, assembly, use, and the like)
associated with the particular
value, and the like). Such terminology should also be considered as disclosing
the range defined
by the absolute values of the two endpoints. For example, the expression "from
about 2 to about
4" also discloses the range "from 2 to 4." The relative terminology may refer
to plus or minus a
percentage (for example, 1%, 5%, 10%, or more) of an indicated value.
100141 Functionality described herein as being performed by one
component may be
performed by multiple components in a distributed manner. Likewise,
functionality performed by
multiple components may be consolidated and performed by a single component.
Similarly, a
component described as performing particular functionality may also perform
additional
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functionality not described herein. For example, a device or structure that is
"configured" in a
certain way is configured in at least that way but may also be configured in
ways that are not
explicitly listed.
100151 FIG. 1 illustrates a blasthole drill 10 that includes a drill
tower 15, a base 20 (for
example, a machinery house) beneath the drill tower 15 that supports the drill
tower 15, an operator
cab 25 coupled to the base 20, and crawlers 30 driven by a crawler drive 35
that drives the blasthole
drill 10 along a ground surface 40. The blasthole drill 10 also includes a
drill pipe 45 configured
to extend downward (for example, vertically) through the ground surface 40 and
into a borehole.
In some constructions, multiple drill pipes 45 are connected together to form
an elongated drill
string that extends into the borehole. The blasthole drill 10 also includes
leveling jacks 50 coupled
to the base 20 that support the blasthole drill 10 on the ground surface 40,
and a brace 55 coupled
to both the base 20 and the drill tower 15 that supports the drill tower 15 on
the base 20. The drill
tower 15 includes a drill head motor 60 coupled to the drill tower 15 that
drives a drill head 65 and
a coupling 70 that couples together the drill head 65 with an upper end 75 of
the drill pipe 45. The
blasthole drill 10 also includes a bit changer assembly 80 that manually or
autonomously
exchanges a drill bit on a lower end of the drill pipe 45. The bit changer
assembly 80 also stores
inactive drill bits during operation of the blasthole drill 10. Other
constructions of the blasthole
drill 10 do not include, for example, the operator cab 25, the brace 55, or
one or more other
components as described above.
100161 FIG. 2 illustrates a rope shovel 100 that includes suspension
cables 105 coupled
between a base 110 and a boom 115 for supporting the boom 115, an operator cab
120, and a.
dipper handle 125. The rope shovel 100 also includes a wire rope or hoist
cable 130 that may be
wound and unwound within the base 110 to raise and lower an attachment or
dipper 135, and a
trip cable 140 connected between another winch (not shown) and the door 145.
The rope shovel
100 also includes a saddle block 150 and a sheave 155. The rope shovel 100
uses four main types
of movement: forward and reverse, hoist, crowd, and swing. Forward and reverse
moves the entire
rope shovel 100 forward and backward using the tracks 160. Hoist moves the
attachment 135 up
and down. Crowd extends and retracts the attachment 135. Swing pivots the rope
shovel 100
around an axis 165. Overall movement of the rope shovel 100 utilizes one or a
combination of
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forward and reverse, hoist, crowd, and swing. Other constructions of the rope
shovel 100 do not
include, for example, the operator cab 120 or one or more other components as
described above.
100171 FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a system 300 of operating a
mining machine 302 within
a geofence according to some embodiments. Although the methods and systems
described herein
are described with reference to a mining machine 302 (a type of industrial
machine) (for example,
the blasthole drill 10 of FIG. 1, the rope shovel 100 of FIG. 2, or another
mining machine), in some
embodiments, the systems and methods described herein are for use with other
(non-mining) types
of mobile industrial machines, such as construction equipment (for example, a
crane), a ship, or
the like.
100181 As illustrated in FIG. 3, the system 300 includes a
controller 305, one or more sensors
310 (collectively referred to herein as "the sensors 310" and individually as
"the sensor 310"), a
human machine interface ("HMI") 320, and a machine communication interface 335
associated
with the mining machine 302. In some embodiments, the system 300 includes
fewer, additional,
or different components than those illustrated in FIG. 3 in various
configurations and may perform
additional functionality than the functionality described herein. For example,
in some
embodiments, the system 300 includes multiple controllers 305, HMIs 320,
machine
communication interfaces 335, or a combination thereof Also, in some
embodiments, one or more
of the components of the system 300 may be distributed among multiple devices,
combined within
a single device, or a combination thereof. The system 300 further includes one
or more activation
devices 340 (referred to herein collectively as "the activation devices 340"
or individually as "the
activation device 340") Alternatively or in addition, in some embodiments, the
system 300
includes other components associated with the mining machine 302, such as one
or more actuators,
motors, pumps, indicators, and the like, for example, to control the hoist,
crowd, swing, and
forward-reverse motions.
100191 In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the controller 305
includes an electronic processor
400 (for example, a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit
("ASIC"), or another
suitable electronic device), a memory 405 (for example, one or more non-
transitory computer-
readable storage mediums), and a communication interface 410. The electronic
processor 400, the
memory 405, and the communication interface 410 communicate over one or more
data
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connections or buses, or a combination thereof The controller 305 illustrated
in FIG. 4 represents
one example, and, in some embodiments, the controller 305 includes fewer,
additional, or different
components in different configurations than illustrated in FIG. 4. Also, in
some embodiments, the
controller 305 performs functionality in addition to the functionality
described herein.
[0020] The communication interface 410 allows the controller 305 to
communicate with
devices external to the controller 305. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3,
the controller 305 may
communicate with one or more of the sensors 310, the HMI 320, the machine
communication
interface 335, one or more of the activation devices 340, another component of
the system 300
and/or mining machine 302, or a combination thereof through the communication
interface 410.
The communication interface 410 may include a port for receiving a wired
connection to an
external device (for example, a universal serial bus ("USB") cable and the
like), a transceiver for
establishing a wireless connection to an external device (for example, over
one or more
communication networks, such as the Internet, LAN, a WAN, and the like), or a
combination
thereof.
[0021] The electronic processor 400 is configured to access and
execute computer-readable
instructions (-software") stored in the memory 405. The software may include
firmware, one or
more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules,
and other executable
instructions. For example, the software may include instructions and
associated data for
performing a set of functions, including the methods described herein. As
illustrated in FIG. 4,
the memory 405 includes a geofence application 420, which is an example of
such software. The
geofence application 420 is a software application executable by the
electronic processor 400 to
perform position tracking of the mining machine 302 with respect to a geofence
region or boundary
using multiple operation zones positioned around the mining machine 302. For
example, in some
embodiments, the electronic processor 400, executing the geofence application
420, detects and
tracks one or more perimeter points of operation zones positioned around the
mining machine 302
(based on machine data collected by the sensors 310) relative to a geofence
region or boundary
and automatically controls one or more of the activation devices 340 to, for
example, follow or
allow a command, modify a command, prevent a command (for example, perform a
stop
command), or the like.
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100221 For example, FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate the mining machine 302
with respect to a geofence
boundary 505 according to some embodiments. The geofence boundary 505 is a
virtual boundary
for a real-world geographic area that is generated using a predefined set of
boundaries using, for
example, GNSS technology. As seen in the example of FIGS. 5A-5C, the geofence
boundary 505
defines a permitted area 510 and a restricted region 515. The permitted area
510 represents a
region or area in which the mining machine 302 is permitted to operate in (for
example, safely
operate without a risk of being driven into a high wall, over a berm, or the
like). In other words,
the mining machine 302 may freely move around the permitted area 510 based on
one or more
commands, such as, for example, a propel command, a crowd command, a swing
command, or
another command for controlling operation of the mining machine 302 (i.e.,
autonomous or
automated commands or commands from an on-board or remote operator that cause
the mining
machine to move over the ground surface). The restricted region 515 represents
a region or area
in which the mining machine 302 is not permitted to operate in. As one
example, the restricted
region 515 may represent an area in which operation of the mining machine 302
is unsafe.
100231 As illustrated in FIG. 5A, the restricted region 515
completely surrounds the mining
machine 302. However, in other embodiments, the restricted region 515 does not
completely
surround the mining machine 302. As one example, the restricted region 515 may
be positioned
on one or more sides of the mining machine 302. As illustrated in FIG. 5B, the
restricted region
515 is positioned on two sides of the mining machine 302. Alternatively or in
addition, in some
embodiments, the restricted region 515 may define a region or area having
another shape than
illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. As one example, the restricted region 515 may
be circular in
shape, as illustrated in FIG. 5C. Accordingly, a shape of the restricted
region 515 may be regular,
irregular, or the like. Additionally, although a single restricted region 515
(and geofence boundary
505) is illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5C, it should be understood that multiple
restricted regions 515
(and geofence boundaries 505) may be implemented.
100241 As illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5C, the mining machine 302 is
surrounded by a first
operation zone 525 (for example, a first virtual operation zone 525) and a
second operation zone
530 (for example, a second virtual operation zone 525). As seen in FIGS. 5A-
5C, the first
operation zone 525 is positioned within the second operation zone 530.
Accordingly, an area of
the first operation zone 525 is smaller than an area of the second operation
zone 530. Although
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the first operation zone 525 and the second operation zone 530 are illustrated
in FIGS. 5A-5C as
being rectangular in shape, in some embodiments, the first operation zone 525,
the second
operation zone 530, or a combination thereof may be a different shape than
illustrated.
Additionally, in some embodiments, the first operation zone 525, the second
operation zone 530,
or a combination thereof may replicate or mirror a shape depicting a natural
boundary or perimeter
of the mining machine 302. Accordingly, the first operation zone 525, the
second operation zone
530, or a combination thereof may be irregular in shape.
100251 The first operation zone 525 defines an area or region around
the mining machine 302
that should not cross the geofence boundary 505 into the restricted zone 515.
As seen in FIGS.
5A-5C, the first operation zone 525 is defined by a set of perimeter points
forming a first boundary
526 of the first operation zone 525. Accordingly, the first operation zone 525
functions to ensure
that a natural perimeter of the mining machine 302 does not cross the geofence
boundary 505 into
the restricted zone 515. Since the physical position of the natural perimeter
of the mining machine
302 is not known with 100% certainty, a buffer zone is used. Accordingly, in
some embodiments,
the depth or size of the first operation zone 525 (with respect to the natural
perimeter of the mining
machine 302) is directly proportional to an uncertainty in a current position
of the mining machine
302. Additionally, in some embodiments, the depth of the first operation zone
525 dynamically
changes as the uncertainty changes. For example, when the uncertainty is
calculated to be
different, the depth of the first operation zone 525 changes In some
embodiments, uncertainty is
determined by a position monitoring system of the mining machine 302, such as
a global
positioning system, a GNSS unit, or the like. For example, an error value or a
degree of confidence
may be determined using the position monitoring system of the mining machine
302. In some
embodiments, the error value or degree of confidence may be used as the
uncertainty.
Alternatively or in addition, other sources of the uncertainty may be based
on, for example, how
much noise is introduced through vibrations that cause errors in acceleration
calculations, which,
in turn, may result in a potential error or degree of uncertainty in the
estimation of the current
position of the mining machine 302. Such values may be calculated using, for
example, filtering
algorithms or information collected by one or more sensors, such as GNSS
units, inertial
measurements units, lidar, or the like (for example, the sensors 310).
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100261 Alternatively or in addition, in some embodiments, the depth
or size of the first
operation zone 525 is dynamically changed based on one or more components of
the mining
machine, such as a position or angle of a component of the mining machine 302.
As one example,
with reference to FIG. 6, a mast of the mining machine 302 may change position
or angle during
operation of the mining machine 302. As the position or angle of the mast
changes, the natural
perimeter of the mining machine 302 may also change. Accordingly, in some
embodiments, the
first operation zone 525 may be based on (or dynamically changed based on) a
position or angle
of a component of the mining machine 302.
100271 The second operation zone 530 defines an area and region
around the mining machine
302 outside of the first operation zone 525. As seen in FIGS. 5A-5C, the
second operation zone
530 is defined by a set of perimeter points forming a second boundary 531 of
the second operation
zone 530. The second operation zone 530 functions to cause the mining machine
302 to reduce
propel references once the second operation zone 530 crosses the geofence
boundary 505 into the
restricted zone 515. Accordingly, as the second operation zone 530 enters the
restricted zone 515,
a speed of the mining machine 302 is controlled to slow the mining machine 302
down before the
first operation zone 525 crosses the geofence boundary 505.
100281 In some embodiments, a distance or depth between the first
boundary 526 of the first
operation zone 525 and the second boundary 531 of the second operation zone
530 is static
(represented in FIGS. 5A-5B by the double arrow labeled "D1-2"). The distance
or depth between
the first boundary 526 of the first operation zone 525 and the second boundary
531 of the second
operation zone 530 (for example, "D1-2") may be set by manufacturer, a machine
administrator, or
other machine personnel. However, a distance or depth between the natural
perimeter of the
mining machine 302 and the second boundary 513 of the second operation zone
530 (represented
in FIGS. 5A-5C by the double arrow labeled "Dm-2") may vary (for example,
based on the depth
or size of the first operation zone 525). As one example, in response to the
size or depth of the
first operation zone 525 (represented in FIGS. 5A-5B by the double arrow
labeled "Dm-1")
changing (based on, for example, an uncertainty in the current position of the
mining machine 302,
a component of the mining machine 302, or a combination thereof), a distance
or depth between
the natural perimeter of the mining machine 302 and the second boundary 513
may change
proportional to the change in size or depth of the first operation zone 530.
However, the distance
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or depth between the first boundary 526 of the first operation zone 525 and
the second boundary
531 of the second operation zone 530 may remain the same.
100291 In some embodiments, the first boundary 526 of the first
operation zone 525 and/or the
second boundary 531 of the second operation zone 530 may dynamically change
based on
operational conditions of the mining machine 302. For example, the first
boundary 526 of the first
operation zone 525 may increase (for example, the value of Dm-1 may increase)
when the mining
machine 302 increases velocity. As another example, the first boundary 526 of
the first operation
zone 525 may increase (for example, the value of Dm-1 may increase) when the
mining machine is
moving a certain direction. Based on the position of the mining machine 302,
these operational
conditions may be taken into account when setting the first operation zone
525. In some
embodiments, as the first boundary 526 dynamically changes based on the
operational conditions
of the mining machine 302, the second boundary 531 may also dynamically change
proportional
to the change to the first boundary 526.
100301 In some embodiments, the restricted zone 515 may include a
warning zone that is a
distance from the geofence boundary 505. For example, the warning zone may be
sensed by a
sensor 310 of the mining machine 302. In some embodiments, the warning zone
may not
completely follow the geofence boundary 505, but rather only be implemented
for a portion of the
geofence boundary 505. In some embodiments, the warning zone may be a single
stake in an area
that emits a signal indicating that the mining machine 302 should avoid the
area a certain distance
around the stake. For example, the stake may signify a large hole that would
disrupt operation of
the mining machine 302 In some embodiments, the warning tone may include
various priority
levels. For example, a high priority level when the mining machine 302 enters
the warning zone
may indicate that the upcoming geofence 505 is situated at a cliff. As another
example, a medium
priority level may indicated that the upcoming geofence 505 is situated at a
wall.
100311 As seen in FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the memory 405 also
stores a set of geofence
boundaries 600 (for example, the geofence boundary 505 as a set of perimeter
points defining the
restricted region 515), a set of operation zones 605 associated with the
mining machine 302 (for
example, the first operation zone 525 and the second operation zone 530 as
sets of perimeter points
defining the first boundary 526 and the second boundary 531, respectively).
Alternatively or in
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addition, the set of geofence boundaries 600, the set of operation zones 605,
or a combination
thereof may be stored at a remote device, such as a remote server or computing
device. In such
embodiments, the set of geofence boundaries 600, the set of operation zones
605, or a combination
thereof may be transmitted to the mining machine 302 (for example, the
controller 305) from the
remote device.
[0032] Returning to FIG. 3, the sensors 310 detect and track a
current location or position of
the mining machine 302 (or a component thereof). The sensors 310 may be
positioned on (or
mounted to) the mining machine 302 at various positions or locations around
the mining machine
302. Alternatively or in addition, the sensors 310 may be positioned external
to the mining
machine 302 at various positions or locations around the mining machine 302.
The sensors 310
may include, for example, radar sensors, lidar sensors, infrared sensors (for
example, a passive
infrared ("PIR") sensor), an image sensor, and the like. In some embodiments,
the sensors 310
may be part of a position monitoring system of the mining machine 302, such as
a global
positioning system, a GNSS, or the like.
[0033] As seen in FIG. 3, the system 300 also includes the HMI 320.
The FEIVII 320 may
include one or more input devices, one or more output devices, or a
combination thereof In some
embodiments, the HIVII 320 allows a user or operator to interact with (for
example, provide input
to and receive output from) the mining machine 302. As one example, an
operator may interact
with the mining machine 302 to control or monitor the mining machine 302 (via
one or more
control mechanisms of the HMI 320). The HMI 320 may include, for example, a
keyboard, a
cursor-control device (for example, a mouse), a touch screen, a joy stick, a
scroll ball, a control
mechanism (for example, one or more mechanical knobs, dials, switches, or
buttons), a display
device, a printer, a speaker, a microphone, or a combination thereof. As
illustrated in FIG. 3, in
some embodiments, the HMI 320 includes a display device 350. The display
device 350 may be,
for example, one or more of a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), a light-emitting
diode ("LED")
display, an organic LED ("OLED") display, an electroluminescent display
("ELD"), a surface-
conduction electron-emitter display ("SED"), a field emission display ("FED"),
a thin-film
transistor ("TFT") LCD, or the like. The display device 350 may be located
within the operator
cab of the mining machine 302 (for example, the operator cab 25 of the drill
10 (FIG. 1) or the
operator cab 120 of the rope shovel 100 (FIG. 2)). The HMI 320 (via, for
example, the display
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device 350) may be configured to display conditions or data associated with
the mining machine
302 in real-time or substantially real-time. For example, the HMI 320 is
configured to display a
graphical user interface to an operator of the mining machine 302 that
indicates a location status
of the mining machine 302 with respect to a geofence boundary or region. In
some embodiments,
the graphical user interface includes one or more graphical representations of
the mining machine
302, the permitted area 510, the restricted region 515, the geofence boundary
505, the first
operation zone 525, the first boundary 526, the second operation zone 530, the
second boundary
531, or a combination thereof.
100341 The actuation devices 340 are configured to receive control
signals or commands (for
example, from the controller 305, from an operator via one or more control
mechanisms of the
HMI 320, or the like) to control, for example, hoisting, crowding, propelling,
and swinging
operations of the mining machine 302. Accordingly, the activation devices 340
may include, for
example, a motor, a hydraulic cylinder, a pump, and the like.
100351 The machine communication interface 335 allows one or more
components of the
system 300 to communicate with devices external to the system 300 and/or the
mining machine
302. For example, one or more components of the system 300, such as the
controller 305, may
communicate with one or more remote devices located or positioned external to
the mining
machine 302 through the machine communication interface 335. The machine
communication
interface 335 may include a port for receiving a wired connection to an
external device (for
example, a USB cable and the like), a transceiver for establishing a wireless
connection to an
external device (for example, over one or more communication networks, such as
the Internet,
LAN, a WAN, and the like), or a combination thereof. As one example, the
controller 305 may
communicate with a remote device or system (via the machine communication
interface 335) as
part of a remote control system or monitoring system of the mining machine
302, such that a
remote operator may control or monitor the mining machine 302 from a remote
location.
100361 FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method 700 for operating
the mining machine 302
with respect to a geofence performed by the system 300 according to some
embodiments. The
method 700 is described as being performed by the controller 305 and, in
particular, the geofence
application 420 as executed by the electronic processor 400. However, as noted
above, the
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functionality described with respect to the method 700 may be performed by
another device or
devices, such as one or more remote devices located external to the mining
machine 302.
100371 As seen in FIG. 7, the method 700 includes receiving, with
the electronic processor
400, a command for controlling the mining machine 302 (at block 705). A
command may include,
for example, a propel command, a crowd command, a swing command, or another
command for
controlling operation of the mining machine 302 (i.e., autonomous or automated
commands or
commands from an on-board or remote operator that cause the mining machine to
move over the
ground surface). As noted above, the HMI 320 allows a user or operator to
interact with (for
example, provide input to and receive output from) the mining machine 302. As
one example, an
operator may interact with the mining machine 302 to control or monitor the
mining machine 302
(via one or more control mechanisms of the HMI 320). Accordingly, in some
embodiments, the
electronic processor 400 receives one or more commands from one or more
control mechanisms
of the 1-11VII 320 (via the communication interface 410 of the controller
305). Alternatively or in
addition, the command may be an autonomous or automatic command generated by
an
autonomous or automatic control system of the mining machine 302. Accordingly,
in such
embodiments, the electronic processor 400 may receive the command from the
autonomous or
automatic control system of the mining machine 302.
100381 In response to receiving the command (at block 705), the
electronic processor 400
determines whether a perimeter point of the first operation zone 525 is within
the restricted region
515 (at block 710). As noted above, the first operation zone 525 is defined by
a set of perimeter
points forming a first boundary 526 of the first operation zone 525
Accordingly, at block 710, the
electronic processor 400 determines whether a perimeter point of the first
operation zone 525 (for
example, the first boundary 526) is within the restricted region 515 (i.e.,
has crossed the geofence
boundary 505).
100391 As noted above, the first operation zone 525 defines an area
or region around the mining
machine 302 that should not cross the geofence boundary 505 into the
restricted zone 515 (as seen
in FIGS. 5A-5C). Additionally, as noted above, in some embodiments, the first
operation zone
525 dynamically changes based on, for example, an uncertainty in a current
position of the mining
machine 302, a component of the mining machine 302, or a combination thereof.
Accordingly, in
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some embodiments, the electronic processor 400 determines the first operation
zone 525 (for
example, a set of perimeter points defining the first boundary 526) prior to
determining whether a
perimeter point of the first operation zone 525 is within the restricted
region 515 (i.e., has crossed
the geofence boundary 505). In some embodiments, the electronic processor 400
determines the
first operation zone 525 based on a component of the mining machine 302, such
as a position or
angle of a component. The electronic processor 400 may determine the position
or angle of the
component based on data or signals received from one or more of the sensors
310, control
commands transmitted to one or more of the activation devices 340, or the
like. Alternatively or
in addition, in some embodiments, the electronic processor 400 determines the
first operation zone
525 based on an uncertainty of a current position of the mining machine 302.
The electronic
processor 400 may determine the uncertainty of a current position of the
mining machine 302
based on signals received from one or more of the sensors 310, control
commands transmitted to
one or more of the activation devices 340, or the like.
[0040] When a perimeter point of the first operation zone 525 is
within the restricted region
515 (YES at block 710), the electronic processor 400 then determines whether
performance of the
command increases penetration of the first operation zone 525 into the
restricted region 515 (at
block 715). The electronic processor 400 may determine whether performance of
the command
increases or decreases penetration based on a current position (or
orientation) of the mining
machine 302 and the command In some embodiments, the electronic processor 400
receives
signals from one or more of the sensors 310 The signals received from one or
more of the sensors
310 may include data describing a current position, current orientation, or
the like of the mining
machine 302. Accordingly, based on the signals received from one or more of
the sensors 310,
the electronic processor 400 may determine a current position, including a
current orientation, of
the mining machine 302. After determining a current position (and the current
orientation), the
electronic processor 400 may predict or determine whether the command will
increase or decrease
penetration of the first operation zone 525 into the restricted region 515. As
one example, when
the electronic processor 400 determines that the mining machine 302 is
directly facing the
restricted region 515 (based on the received signals) and the command is a
forward propel
command, the electronic processor 400 may determine that performance of the
command will
increase penetration o the first operation zone 525 into the restricted region
515. As another
example, when the electronic processor 400 determines that the mining machine
302 is directly
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facing the restricted region 515 (based on the received signals) and the
command is a reverse
propel command, the electronic processor 400 may determine that performance of
the command
will decrease penetration of the first operation zone 525 into the restricted
region 515.
100411 When the electronic processor 400 determines that performance
of the command
increases penetration of the first operation zone 525 into the restricted
region 515 (YES at block
715), the electronic processor 400 prevents the command (at block 720)
Accordingly, when the
command would move the first operation zone 525 further into the restricted
region 515, the
electronic processor 400 controls the mining machine 302 (via one or more of
the activation
devices 340) such that the mining machine 302 performs a stop command
preventing the first
operation zone 525 from moving further into the restricted zone 515.
100421 However, when the electronic processor 400 determines that
performance of the
command does not increase (i.e., decreases) penetration of the first operation
zone 525 into the
restricted region 515 (NO at block 715), the electronic processor 400 allows
the command (at
block 725). Accordingly, when the command does not move the first operation
zone 525 further
into the restricted region 515, the electronic processor 400 controls the
mining machine 302 (via
one or more of the activation devices 340) such that the mining machine 302
performs the
command moving the first operation zone 525 away from or outside of the
restricted zone 515.
100431 Returning to block 710 of FIG. 7, when a perimeter point of
the first operation zone
525 is not within the restricted region 515 (NO at block 710), the electronic
processor 400 then
determines whether a perimeter point of the second operation zone 530 is
within the restricted
region 515 (at block 730). As noted above, the second operation zone 530 is
defined by a set of
perimeter points forming the second boundary 531 of the second operation zone
530. Accordingly,
at block 710, the electronic processor 400 determines whether a perimeter
point of the second
operation zone 530 (for example, the second boundary 531) is within the
restricted region 515 (i.e.,
has crossed the geofence boundary 505.
100441 When the electronic processor 400 determines that a perimeter
point of the second
operation zone 530 is within the restricted legion 515 (YES at block 730), the
electronic processor
400 modifies the command (at block 735). In some embodiments, the electronic
processor 400
modifies the command by limiting the command. As one example, the electronic
processor 400
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modifies the command by limited or reducing a speed of the mining machine 302.
Accordingly,
in some embodiments, when a perimeter point of the second operation zone 530
is within the
restricted region 515, the electronic processor 400 modifies or limits the
command by limiting or
reducing a speed of the mining machine 302 such that the mining machine 302
gradually slows
down (for example, before the first operation zone 525 crosses the geofence
boundary 505).
100451 When the electronic processor 400 determines that a perimeter
point of the second
operation zone 530 is not within the restricted region 515 (NO at block 730),
the electronic
processor 400 allows the command (at block 725). Accordingly, when a perimeter
point of the
second operation zone 530 is not within the restricted region 515, the
electronic processor 400
controls the mining machine 302 (via one or more of the activation devices
340) such that the
mining machine 302 performs the command.
100461 In some embodiments, the electronic processor 400 generates
and transmits a graphical
user interface for display to an operator of the mining machine 302. The
electronic processor 400
may transmit the graphical user interface to the display device 350 of the 1-
EV11 320 for display.
Alternatively or in addition, the electronic processor 400 may transmit the
graphical user interface
via a display device located remotely from the mining machine 302 for display
at a remote location.
The graphical user interface may indicate or provide feedback with respect to
a location status of
the mining machine 302 with respect to the geofence boundary 505. In some
embodiments, the
graphical user interface may include one or more graphical representations
depicting a location
status of the mining machine 302 with respect to the geofence boundary 505.
For example, the
graphical user interface may include a graphical representation of the mining
machine 302, the
first operation zone 525 (for example, the first boundary 526) around the
mining machine 302, the
second operation zone 530 (for example, the second boundary 531) around the
mining machine
302, the restricted region 515 (for example, the geofence boundary 505), and
the like.
100471 In some embodiments, the electronic processor 400 modifies a
characteristic (for
example, a color) of the graphical representations based on the location
status. As one example,
when the first operation zone 525 is not within the restricted region 515, the
electronic processor
400 may generate the graphical representation of the milling machine 302 in a
first color (for
example, green). When the first operation zone 525 is within the restricted
region 515, the
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electronic processor 400 may generate a graphical representation of the mining
machine 302 in a
second color (for example, yellow). When the second operation zone 530 is
within the restricted
region 515, the electronic processor 400 may generate a graphical
representation of the mining
machine 302 in a third color (for example, red) Alternatively or in addition,
in some embodiments,
the electronic processor 400 may generate and transmit (for example, to the
HMI 320) another
type of warning or alert, such as a tactile warning, an audible warning, or
the like, indicating the
location status of the mining machine 302 with respect to the restricted
region 515 (for example,
the geofence boundary 505).
100481 Accordingly, embodiments described herein provide systems and
methods for
operating a mining machine with respect to a geofence.
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