Automatic maintenance method for wireless sensor network nodes in mine laneway

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of wireless sensor networks, and discloses an automatic maintenance method for wireless sensor network nodes in a mine laneway, which comprises the following steps: S1, network topology structure design: establishing a wireless sensor network consisting of sensing nodes, relay nodes and gateway nodes, the sensing nodes being distributed in the mine laneway, the relay nodes being distributed in the mine laneway, and the gateway nodes being distributed in the mine laneway; the data acquisition node is used for acquiring environment data, the relay node is used for multi-hop transmission of the data, and the gateway node is used for communicating with a ground monitoring system; s2, a fault detection mechanism: integrating a fault detection module in each node; s3, a self-repairing mechanism: when the node detects a fault, automatically triggering the self-repairing mechanism; s4, performing fault early warning and reporting; and S5, energy consumption management and optimization: the system integrates an energy consumption management module in the node. Through the integrated fault detection module and the self-repairing mechanism, the system can automatically identify and try to repair the fault when the fault occurs, so that the downtime of the system is reduced, and the continuous and stable operation of the network is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of wireless sensor networks, in particular to an automatic maintenance method for wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel. Background Art

[0002] With the development of the mining industry and the improvement of automation level, environmental monitoring in mine tunnels has become an important part of ensuring safe production in mines. The environmental conditions in mine tunnels are complex and changeable, and there are usually many unfavorable factors such as temperature, humidity, dust, toxic and harmful gases, which pose a great threat to the safety of mine workers. In order to obtain the environmental parameters inside the mine in a timely manner, the existing technology widely uses wireless sensor networks (WSN) for real-time monitoring.

[0003] The wireless sensor network consists of multiple sensor nodes distributed in the mine tunnels. These nodes form a network through wireless communication to collect and transmit environmental data such as temperature, humidity, and gas concentration. After being transmitted to the ground monitoring center, this data can provide a basis for mine safety production decisions in a timely manner. However, due to the harsh environment in the mine tunnels, sensor nodes are often affected by factors such as humidity, high temperature, dust, and electromagnetic interference, resulting in frequent node failures. Traditional maintenance methods usually rely on manual inspections, which not only increases maintenance costs and work intensity, but also has problems such as missed detection and false detection, affecting the real-time and accuracy of mine environmental monitoring. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides an automatic maintenance method for wireless sensor network nodes in mine tunnels to solve the problem that sensor nodes are often affected by factors such as moisture, high temperature, dust, electromagnetic interference, etc., resulting in frequent node failures.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions: a method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel, comprising the following steps:

[0006] S1. Network topology design: Establish a wireless sensor network consisting of sensing nodes, relay nodes and gateway nodes. The sensing nodes are distributed in the mine tunnels to collect environmental data, the relay nodes are used for multi-hop transmission of data, and the gateway nodes are used to communicate with the ground monitoring system;

[0007] S2. Fault detection mechanism: A fault detection module is integrated in each node, and the module includes:

[0008] Hardware status detection: By monitoring the power supply voltage, sensor status and working condition of the communication module, it can be determined whether there is a hardware failure in the node;

[0009] Software status detection: Real-time detection of the operating status of the operating system and applications through watchdog timer, memory usage monitoring and system task monitoring;

[0010] Communication link monitoring: monitors the communication link status between nodes and evaluates link quality by sending heartbeat packets and receiving confirmation packets;

[0011] S3. Self-repair mechanism: When a node detects a fault, it automatically triggers a self-repair mechanism, which includes:

[0012] Partial restart: When a module fails, the module will be restarted first;

[0013] Overall restart: When local restart is invalid or multiple modules fail at the same time, the overall system restart of the execution node;

[0014] Adaptive route adjustment: When a communication link failure is detected, the data transmission path is dynamically adjusted and a new data transmission path is selected;

[0015] S4, fault warning and reporting: When a node detects a fault that cannot be automatically repaired, a fault warning is triggered and the fault information is reported to the gateway node via the wireless network. The warning includes:

[0016] Local alarm: Send fault alarm to on-site maintenance personnel through LED flashing, buzzer or LCD display;

[0017] Remote fault reporting: upload fault logs to the ground monitoring system and generate detailed fault reports;

[0018] S5. Energy consumption management and optimization: The system integrates an energy consumption management module in the node, which dynamically adjusts the power consumption mode according to the node task and power status, including:

[0019] Dynamic power management: When not performing critical tasks, the node enters low-power or sleep mode, maintaining only basic fault monitoring functions;

[0020] Energy collection: Combined with the mine environment, vibration energy collection, thermoelectric conversion or solar energy collection devices are integrated to ensure the continuous supply of node energy;

[0021] Remote maintenance and upgrade: Through the ground monitoring system, support remote management and maintenance of nodes, the remote maintenance includes:

[0022] Firmware upgrade: Remotely upgrade the node firmware via wireless network and adopt a dual backup strategy;

[0023] Node configuration management: Optimize the node's operating status by remotely adjusting node parameters.

[0024] Preferably, the fault detection mechanism further includes data integrity detection, and the integrity of the data is detected by verification and CRC verification before and after data transmission.

[0025] Preferably, the self-repair mechanism further includes dynamic frequency and transmission power adjustment, and automatically adjusts the communication frequency and transmission power when it is detected that the communication link signal strength decreases or interference occurs.

[0026] Preferably, the energy consumption management and optimization further includes an on-demand wake-up mechanism, whereby the node automatically wakes up from sleep mode and performs corresponding task operations when an external event or task request is detected.

[0027] Preferably, the fault warning and reporting further includes a data analysis function, which generates a node failure mode and trend analysis report by analyzing uploaded fault logs and operating data.

[0028] Preferably, a wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system in a mine tunnel comprises:

[0029] Perception nodes: distributed at various monitoring points in mine tunnels, collecting environmental data and performing self-maintenance functions. The perception nodes include sensor modules, processing modules, communication modules, power modules and self-maintenance modules;

[0030] The sensor module integrates temperature, humidity, gas concentration and dust concentration sensors;

[0031] The processing module uses a microcontroller to perform data acquisition, preprocessing and communication control;

[0032] The communication module uses ZigBee, LoRa or Wi-Fi module to achieve short-distance or long-distance wireless data transmission;

[0033] The power module is equipped with a rechargeable battery and a solar energy and electromagnetic energy harvesting device to support long-term power supply;

[0034] The self-maintenance module integrates voltage monitoring, sensor self-checking, communication module self-checking and power consumption management functions, and is responsible for the self-maintenance and fault repair capabilities of the node;

[0035] Relay node: responsible for multi-hop transmission of data, and automatically adjusts the route to ensure the reliability of data transmission when a communication link fails. The relay node includes a communication module, a processing module, a power module and a maintenance module;

[0036] The communication module supports a variety of wireless communication protocols, including LoRa, ZigBee and MeshNetwork, for receiving and forwarding data from sensing nodes;

[0037] The processing module adopts a microprocessor, which can process multi-channel data and dynamically adjust the routing;

[0038] The power module is also configured with a battery and an energy harvesting device;

[0039] The maintenance module enables the relay node to have link monitoring, adaptive routing adjustment, and communication module restart functions;

[0040] Gateway node: connected to the ground monitoring system, receives and summarizes data from the relay nodes, uploads it to the ground monitoring system, and is responsible for remote maintenance of the management nodes. The gateway node includes a processing module, a communication module, and a data storage module;

[0041] The processing module uses a processor to process large amounts of data and communicate with ground systems;

[0042] The communication module supports a variety of wired, including Ethernet and optical fiber, and wireless communication methods, including Wi-Fi and 4G / 5G;

[0043] The data storage module is equipped with a local storage device, including an SD card or a solid-state drive, for temporary storage and log recording;

[0044] The self-maintenance module has system self-checking, fault alarm, data backup and remote management functions;

[0045] Ground monitoring system: used to monitor environmental data and node status in mine tunnels and manage the operation of wireless sensor networks. The monitoring system includes a data processing module, a remote maintenance module and a visual management interface, and supports real-time monitoring, historical data analysis, remote configuration management and system report generation;

[0046] The data processing module displays the data of each sensing node in the mine in real time, including environmental parameters, node status and network topology, stores all monitoring data, supports historical playback and trend analysis of data, generates fault alarms based on fault reports uploaded by nodes, and provides fault location and diagnosis suggestions;

[0047] The remote maintenance module remotely checks and manages the operating status of each node through the ground monitoring system, performs remote firmware upgrades, configuration adjustments and node restarts, and supports automatic backup of monitoring data and data recovery in the event of a fault;

[0048] The visual management interface provides intuitive charts and dashboards to display the environmental conditions, node status and network topology within the mine, and generates environmental reports, fault reports and system operation reports based on monitoring data and sends them automatically.

[0049] Preferably, the sensing node and self-maintenance module also include a fault log recording function, and the log record includes in detail the node's fault detection process, self-repair steps and final processing results, and the log data is uploaded to the ground monitoring system.

[0050] Preferably, the communication module between the gateway node and the ground monitoring system adopts a redundant communication strategy, so that when a main communication link fails, the system can continue to maintain normal data transmission through a backup link.

[0051] Preferably, the ground monitoring system further includes a data backup and recovery function. When a node or gateway fails, the data can be automatically backed up to the cloud or an off-site server and resynchronized after the system is restored.

[0052] Preferably, the visual management interface of the ground monitoring system has the function of displaying the status of each node and the network topology in the mine tunnel in real time, and generates real-time alarm information according to the fault report to prompt the maintenance personnel to perform corresponding operations.

[0053] The present invention provides a method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel. It has the following beneficial effects:

[0054] 1. The present invention integrates a fault detection module and a self-repair mechanism, so that the system can automatically identify and attempt to repair a fault when it occurs, thereby reducing system downtime and ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the network. When problems occur in the communication link, the system can automatically adjust the route and select the best data transmission path to avoid data transmission interruption and improve the overall stability and reliability of the network.

[0055] 2. The system of the present invention has automatic fault detection, repair and early warning functions, which greatly reduces the frequency and workload of manual maintenance. At the same time, through remote management and firmware upgrade functions, maintenance personnel can perform most maintenance tasks remotely, further reducing the cost of on-site maintenance. The automated maintenance function of the system reduces the frequency of manual inspections, and only necessary on-site inspections are required after receiving a fault warning, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

[0056] 3. The system of the present invention extends the battery life of the node by dynamically adjusting the power consumption mode of the node and combining it with energy harvesting technology, reducing the frequency of equipment replacement due to power exhaustion. When there are no critical tasks, the node enters a low-power consumption mode and wakes up to perform tasks only when necessary, further extending the service life of the node.

[0057] 4. The system of the present invention can continuously monitor the environmental parameters in the mine, such as temperature, humidity, toxic gas concentration and dust concentration, etc., to timely discover potential safety hazards and reduce the probability of mine accidents. The system can immediately issue an early warning when a fault occurs and notify maintenance personnel through the remote reporting function to ensure rapid response and fault repair, and avoid safety accidents caused by equipment failure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Figure 1 A flow chart of a method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to the present invention;

[0059] Figure 2 This is an architecture diagram of an automatic maintenance system for wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 3 A sensing node architecture diagram of a wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system in a mine tunnel of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 4 A diagram of the architecture of a relay node of a wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system in a mine tunnel of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 5 A gateway node architecture diagram of a wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system in a mine tunnel of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 6 This is a ground monitoring system architecture diagram of a wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system in a mine tunnel of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] The technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0065] Please refer to the attached Figure 1 - Attachment Figure 6 This embodiment provides a method and system for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in mine tunnels, and describes in detail the overall architecture of the system and the design and implementation of each component. The entire system is designed to provide efficient and automated maintenance and management functions for the wireless sensor network in mine tunnels, ensuring that the system can operate stably and for a long time under harsh environmental conditions.

[0066] The following is an introduction in conjunction with specific embodiments:

[0067] Example 1

[0068] A method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel comprises the following steps:

[0069] S1: Network topology design

[0070] The system achieves environmental monitoring covering the entire mine tunnel by establishing a wireless sensor network consisting of sensing nodes, relay nodes and gateway nodes. The network topology adopts an adaptive mesh structure to ensure the reliability and flexibility of data transmission.

[0071] Sensing nodes: They are deployed at various monitoring points in the mine tunnels and are responsible for collecting environmental data such as temperature, humidity, gas concentration (such as methane, carbon monoxide) and dust concentration. The sensing nodes are designed with low power consumption and are equipped with a variety of sensor modules, data processing modules and communication modules to enable continuous operation under different environmental conditions.

[0072] Relay nodes: used to expand network coverage and enhance the reliability of data transmission. Relay nodes forward data from sensing nodes in a multi-hop manner and have the functions of link monitoring, adaptive routing adjustment and communication module self-maintenance.

[0073] Gateway node: As the core node of the network, the gateway node is responsible for aggregating data from the relay nodes and transmitting it to the ground monitoring system via wired or wireless means. The gateway node integrates high-performance processors, communication modules, and data storage modules, supporting large-capacity data processing and remote maintenance functions.

[0074] S2: Fault detection mechanism

[0075] Fault detection is one of the core functions of system automatic maintenance. In order to ensure the long-term stable operation of the system, each node has a built-in multi-level fault detection module that can monitor the status of hardware, software and communication links in real time.

[0076] Hardware status detection: By monitoring parameters such as power supply voltage, sensor working status, and communication module signal strength, the system can detect possible hardware failures of the node in a timely manner. For example, when the voltage is lower than the preset safety threshold, the node will automatically switch to low power mode to extend the working time.

[0077] Software status detection: The node operating system monitors the execution of key tasks through the watchdog timer to prevent the program from looping or freezing. At the same time, the memory management module regularly checks the memory usage to prevent system crashes caused by memory leaks.

[0078] Communication link monitoring: Nodes continuously monitor the status of the communication link by regularly sending heartbeat packets and receiving confirmation packets. The system evaluates the link quality based on indicators such as the round-trip time, packet loss rate, and signal strength of the heartbeat packet, and takes appropriate repair measures when the link quality deteriorates.

[0079] S3: Self-healing mechanism

[0080] After a fault is detected, the system automatically starts a self-repair mechanism to minimize human intervention and ensure the continuous operation of the network. The self-repair mechanism includes three parts: local restart, overall restart, and route adaptive adjustment.

[0081] Partial restart: When a module (such as a sensor module or a communication module) detects an abnormality, the node will prioritize restarting that module. This partial restart can effectively repair module-level faults without affecting other functions of the node.

[0082] Overall restart: If a partial restart does not solve the problem, or when multiple modules fail at the same time, the node will perform an overall system restart. During the restart process, the system will save the current working state and return to the previous operating mode after the restart.

[0083] Adaptive routing: When a communication link fails, the system automatically adjusts the data transmission path. The relay node recalculates the best route to ensure that data can be reliably transmitted to the gateway node. The system uses dynamic routing protocols such as AODV (on-demand distance vector routing) to quickly adjust the routing path when the network topology changes.

[0084] S4: Fault warning and reporting

[0085] The system is designed with a multi-level fault warning and reporting mechanism to ensure that faults can be discovered and handled in a timely manner, reducing the risks caused by faults.

[0086] Local alarm: When a node detects a fault that cannot be automatically repaired, the system will alert nearby maintenance personnel through a local LED, buzzer or LCD display. This local alarm function is particularly suitable for mine site environments and can promptly notify personnel to go for maintenance.

[0087] Remote fault reporting: The node's fault log will be uploaded to the gateway node via the wireless network and eventually transmitted to the ground monitoring system. The system will automatically generate a detailed fault report, including the fault type, occurrence time, node location, and the steps and results of the self-repair attempt. These reports can help maintenance personnel quickly locate the fault and take effective repair measures.

[0088] S5: Energy management and optimization

[0089] Mining environments usually have limited resources, so node energy management becomes one of the keys to system design. The system extends the working time of nodes by dynamically adjusting power consumption modes, energy harvesting, and on-demand wake-up.

[0090] Dynamic power management: When the node is not performing critical tasks, it automatically enters low power or sleep mode, maintaining only the most basic monitoring functions. When an external event or task request is detected, the node will quickly wake up and resume normal working mode.

[0091] Energy harvesting: The system has designed a variety of energy harvesting solutions, combining renewable resources such as vibration energy, thermal energy and solar energy in the mine environment to provide continuous energy supply for nodes. The energy harvesting module stores the collected energy in the battery for use by the node.

[0092] On-demand wake-up mechanism: To reduce unnecessary energy consumption, the node remains in low-power mode in standby mode. When data transmission, fault repair or other tasks need to be performed, the system will wake up the node on demand and re-enter the sleep state after the task is completed.

[0093] Remote maintenance and upgrade

[0094] The system supports remote maintenance and firmware upgrade functions, and centrally manages the wireless sensor network nodes in the mine tunnels through the ground monitoring system.

[0095] Firmware upgrade: The system uses OTA (Over-The-Air) to remotely upgrade the firmware of the node. A double backup strategy is adopted during the upgrade process to ensure that the new firmware replaces the old version after verification, avoiding system paralysis caused by upgrade failure.

[0096] Node configuration management: Through the remote management platform, maintenance personnel can view the operating status of the node in real time, adjust configuration parameters, and optimize the operating efficiency of the node. This remote management function reduces the workload of on-site maintenance and improves the flexibility and operability of the system.

[0097] Example 2

[0098] A specific implementation of a sensing node in a wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system in a mine tunnel

[0099] In this embodiment, the hardware design and software implementation of the sensing node are described in detail. The sensing node is the basic unit of the entire system, responsible for collecting environmental data in the mine tunnel, and performing preliminary processing and transmission.

[0100] Hardware Design

[0101] The sensing node consists of the following main parts:

[0102] Sensor module: It integrates temperature, humidity, gas concentration (such as methane, carbon monoxide) and dust concentration sensors. Each sensor works independently to provide high-precision environmental data collection capabilities. The sensor module adopts anti-interference design and can work stably in the complex electromagnetic environment of the mine.

[0103] Processing module: Use low-power microcontrollers (such as ARMCortex-M series) for data acquisition and preprocessing. The processing module has multi-tasking scheduling capabilities, can process multiple sensor data at the same time, and compress and encrypt data as needed.

[0104] Communication module: supports multiple wireless communication protocols, including ZigBee, LoRa and Wi-Fi. The communication module is designed with automatic power adjustment and frequency switching functions, which can dynamically adjust communication parameters according to link quality to ensure the reliability of data transmission.

[0105] Power module: Equipped with rechargeable batteries, integrated with solar panels and electromagnetic energy harvesters to ensure long-term power supply. The power module has intelligent charging and discharging management functions to optimize power usage in different working modes.

[0106] Self-maintenance module: responsible for monitoring the various functional modules of the node and initiating the self-repair process when a fault is detected. The self-maintenance module also integrates fault logging and alarm functions to ensure that the node can detect and report problems in a timely manner.

[0107] Software Implementation

[0108] The software system of the sensing node is based on a lightweight real-time operating system (RTOS) with multi-tasking, real-time response and low power management capabilities.

[0109] Data collection and processing: The sensor module regularly collects environmental data and passes the data to the processing module. The processing module filters, calibrates and performs preliminary analysis on the data, then compresses and packages the data and sends it to the relay node through the communication module.

[0110] Fault detection and repair: The node's built-in fault detection module monitors the operating status of hardware and software in real time. Once an abnormality is detected, the system automatically starts the repair program and restarts the faulty module first. If the repair fails, the system will record the fault log and switch the node to safe mode.

[0111] Communication management: The communication module is responsible for handling all wireless data transmission tasks, including data packaging, link quality detection and transmission control. The system uses an adaptive routing algorithm that can automatically adjust the data transmission path when a link problem occurs.

[0112] Power consumption management: The software system dynamically adjusts the power consumption mode according to the current task and power status of the node. The system only maintains the most basic monitoring and communication functions in low power consumption mode to extend battery life. When performing data collection and transmission tasks, the system automatically switches to normal working mode.

[0113] Example 3

[0114] Specific implementation of a relay node in a mine tunnel wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system

[0115] In this embodiment, the design and implementation of the relay node are described in detail. The relay node undertakes the key tasks of data forwarding and network route optimization in the entire network.

[0116] Hardware Design

[0117] The hardware design of the relay node is similar to that of the sensing node, but it is enhanced in terms of processing power and communication modules to support more complex data processing and multi-hop communication functions.

[0118] Communication module: The relay node is equipped with a multi-channel wireless communication module, which supports processing data transmission requests from multiple sensing nodes at the same time. The communication module has channel selection and frequency hopping functions, and can automatically switch to the backup channel when the network is congested or interfered.

[0119] Processing module: Relay nodes use higher-performance microprocessors that can handle multiple concurrent data streams and perform complex routing calculations. The processing module integrates dynamic routing algorithms and link quality assessment functions, and can update routing tables in real time according to changes in network topology.

[0120] Power module: The relay node is equipped with large-capacity batteries and a variety of energy harvesting devices to ensure long-term stable operation. The power management system can intelligently adjust power distribution under different load conditions to ensure the normal operation of each module.

[0121] Software Implementation

[0122] The software system of the relay node is also based on a real-time operating system, but has been enhanced in terms of data processing and routing management.

[0123] Data forwarding and processing: The relay node receives data from the sensing node and forwards the data to the next relay node or gateway node according to the preset routing rules. During the forwarding process, the system will perform integrity checks and link quality assessments on the data packets to ensure the reliability of data transmission.

[0124] Routing management: The routing management module of the relay node uses adaptive routing protocols such as AODV, which can automatically calculate the new optimal path and update the routing table when the network topology changes. The routing algorithm takes into account multiple factors such as link quality, node load and power status to improve the overall performance of the network.

[0125] Fault monitoring and repair: Relay nodes have built-in link monitoring and fault detection modules that can monitor every communication link in the network in real time. When link quality degradation or communication interruption is detected, the system will automatically try to repair it and adjust the route if necessary.

[0126] Power consumption management: The software system of the relay node dynamically adjusts the power consumption mode according to the current network load and power supply status. When the network load is low, the system will enter low power consumption mode and only maintain basic forwarding functions. When the load increases or the link repair task is completed, the system will be upgraded to normal power consumption mode to ensure the smooth completion of the task.

[0127] Example 4

[0128] Specific implementation of a gateway node for an automatic maintenance system of wireless sensor network nodes in mine tunnels

[0129] In this embodiment, the design and implementation of the gateway node are described in detail. As the core node of the mine tunnel wireless sensor network, the gateway node undertakes the functions of data aggregation, storage, uploading and system management.

[0130] Hardware Design

[0131] The hardware design of the gateway node is relatively complex, equipped with high-performance processors, large-capacity storage devices and multiple communication interfaces to support the processing of large amounts of data and remote management functions.

[0132] Processing module: It uses industrial-grade high-performance processors, such as ARMCortex-A series or x86 architecture, which can handle large-scale data operations and complex system management tasks. The processing module also integrates multi-task scheduling and real-time data processing capabilities to meet the high real-time requirements of the mine environment.

[0133] Communication module: supports multiple wired and wireless communication methods, including Ethernet, fiber optic, Wi-Fi and 4G / 5G networks to ensure reliable connection with the ground monitoring system. The communication module has a redundant design and can automatically switch to the backup link when the main communication link fails.

[0134] Data storage module: Equipped with a large-capacity local storage device, such as an SD card or solid-state drive, for temporary storage of sensing data and system logs. The data storage module supports automatic backup and recovery functions to ensure data security and integrity.

[0135] Power module: To ensure continuous power supply to the gateway node, the system is designed with multiple power redundancy, including main power supply, backup battery and solar panels to cope with possible power outages in the mine.

[0136] Software Implementation

[0137] The software system of the gateway node is based on the embedded Linux operating system and has powerful data processing, network management and remote maintenance functions.

[0138] Data processing and storage: The gateway node receives and aggregates data from multiple relay nodes, performs data preprocessing, compression and encryption, and then uploads it to the ground monitoring system. The data processing module is also responsible for preliminary analysis of the perception data and generating real-time monitoring reports.

[0139] System management and maintenance: The gateway node centrally manages all sensing nodes and relay nodes in the mine tunnel through the remote management module. The system management module can perform tasks such as firmware upgrades, configuration adjustments, and fault diagnosis, and monitor the operating status of each node in real time.

[0140] Log management and report generation: The gateway node records the operation logs and fault logs of all nodes, and regularly generates detailed reports and uploads them to the ground monitoring system. The log management module also supports the playback and analysis of historical data, providing a basis for system optimization.

[0141] Security management: The software system of the gateway node integrates multi-level security management functions, including data encryption, user authentication and access control, to protect the network from unauthorized access and attacks.

[0142] Example 5

[0143] A specific implementation of a ground monitoring system for a wireless sensor network node automatic maintenance system in a mine tunnel

[0144] In this embodiment, the design and implementation of the ground monitoring system are described in detail. The ground monitoring system is the control center of the entire mine tunnel wireless sensor network, responsible for the final processing of data, system management and fault warning.

[0145] Hardware Design

[0146] The ground monitoring system is usually deployed in the control center on the ground of the mine and is equipped with high-performance servers, display terminals and storage devices.

[0147] Server: used to process data uploaded from the gateway node and perform data analysis, storage and system management tasks. The server should have high computing power and large storage capacity to cope with the processing needs of massive data.

[0148] Display terminal: used to display the environmental data, node status and network topology in the mine tunnel in real time. The display terminal should have high resolution and multi-window display functions so that maintenance personnel can monitor the operation of multiple nodes at the same time.

[0149] Storage devices: used to store historical data and system logs for a long time, supporting fast retrieval and playback of data. Storage devices should have high reliability and fault tolerance to prevent data loss.

[0150] Software Implementation

[0151] The software system of the ground monitoring system is designed based on a distributed architecture, which can achieve efficient data processing and flexible system management.

[0152] Data processing module: Receives and processes data from gateway nodes, performs in-depth data analysis, trend prediction, and alarm generation. The data processing module integrates machine learning algorithms and can predict possible failures or abnormal conditions through historical data analysis.

[0153] Visual management interface: Displays real-time data, node status and network topology in the mine tunnel through a graphical interface. The interface supports multiple view modes, including 2D, 3D and hierarchical views, so that users can choose according to their needs.

[0154] Remote maintenance module: supports remote configuration management, firmware upgrades, and fault diagnosis of all sensing nodes and relay nodes. Maintenance personnel can view the operating status of each node in real time through the ground monitoring system and perform maintenance operations remotely.

[0155] Alarm and report generation: The system will automatically generate fault alarms based on real-time data and log information, and generate detailed reports to send to relevant personnel. The alarm module supports multiple notification methods, including SMS, email and sound prompts, to ensure that fault information can be communicated in a timely manner.

[0156] Through the detailed description of the above embodiments, the automatic maintenance method and system of wireless sensor network nodes in mine tunnels of the present invention can significantly improve the reliability and automation level of mine environment monitoring in practical applications, reduce the cost and risk of manual maintenance, and ensure safe production and continuous monitoring of mines.

[0157] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel. It is characterized in that The following steps are involved: S1. Network topology design: Establish a wireless sensor network consisting of sensing nodes, relay nodes and gateway nodes. The sensing nodes are distributed in the mine tunnels to collect environmental data, the relay nodes are used for multi-hop transmission of data, and the gateway nodes are used to communicate with the ground monitoring system; S2. Fault detection mechanism: A fault detection module is integrated in each node, and the module includes: Hardware status detection: By monitoring the power supply voltage, sensor status and working condition of the communication module, it can be determined whether there is a hardware failure in the node; Software status detection: Real-time detection of the operating status of the operating system and applications through watchdog timer, memory usage monitoring and system task monitoring; Communication link monitoring: monitors the communication link status between nodes and evaluates link quality by sending heartbeat packets and receiving confirmation packets; S3. Self-repair mechanism: When a node detects a fault, it automatically triggers a self-repair mechanism, which includes: Partial restart: When a module fails, the module will be restarted first; Overall restart: When local restart is invalid or multiple modules fail at the same time, the overall system restart of the execution node; Adaptive route adjustment: When a communication link failure is detected, the data transmission path is dynamically adjusted and a new data transmission path is selected; S4, fault warning and reporting: When a node detects a fault that cannot be automatically repaired, a fault warning is triggered and the fault information is reported to the gateway node via the wireless network. The warning includes: Local alarm: Send fault alarm to on-site maintenance personnel through LED flashing, buzzer or LCD display; Remote fault reporting: upload fault logs to the ground monitoring system and generate detailed fault reports; S5. Energy consumption management and optimization: The system integrates an energy consumption management module in the node, which dynamically adjusts the power consumption mode according to the node task and power status, including: Dynamic power management: When not performing critical tasks, the node enters low-power or sleep mode, maintaining only basic fault monitoring functions; Energy collection: Combined with the mine environment, vibration energy collection, thermoelectric conversion or solar energy collection devices are integrated to ensure the continuous supply of node energy; Remote maintenance and upgrade: Through the ground monitoring system, support remote management and maintenance of nodes, the remote maintenance includes: Firmware upgrade: Remotely upgrade the node firmware via wireless network and adopt a dual backup strategy; Node configuration management: Optimize the node's operating status by remotely adjusting node parameters.

2. The method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The fault detection mechanism further includes data integrity detection, and the integrity of the data is detected by checking and CRC checking before and after data transmission.

3. The method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The self-healing mechanism further includes dynamic frequency and transmission power adjustment, and automatically adjusts the communication frequency and transmission power when it is detected that the communication link signal strength decreases or interference occurs.

4. The method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The energy consumption management and optimization further includes an on-demand wake-up mechanism, whereby a node automatically wakes up from a sleep mode and performs a corresponding task operation when an external event or task request is detected.

5. The method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The fault warning and reporting further includes a data analysis function, which generates a node fault mode and trend analysis report by analyzing the uploaded fault logs and operation data.

6. An automatic maintenance system for wireless sensor network nodes in mine tunnels, It is characterized in that A method for automatically maintaining wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, the system comprising: Perception nodes: distributed at various monitoring points in mine tunnels, collecting environmental data and performing self-maintenance functions. The perception nodes include sensor modules, processing modules, communication modules, power modules and self-maintenance modules; The sensor module integrates temperature, humidity, gas concentration and dust concentration sensors; The processing module uses a microcontroller to perform data acquisition, preprocessing and communication control; The communication module uses ZigBee, LoRa or Wi-Fi module to achieve short-distance or long-distance wireless data transmission; The power module is equipped with a rechargeable battery and a solar energy and electromagnetic energy harvesting device to support long-term power supply; The self-maintenance module integrates voltage monitoring, sensor self-checking, communication module self-checking and power consumption management functions, and is responsible for the self-maintenance and fault repair capabilities of the node; Relay node: responsible for multi-hop transmission of data, and automatically adjusts the route to ensure the reliability of data transmission when a communication link fails. The relay node includes a communication module, a processing module, a power module and a maintenance module; The communication module supports a variety of wireless communication protocols, including LoRa, ZigBee and MeshNetwork, for receiving and forwarding data from sensing nodes; The processing module adopts a microprocessor, which can process multi-channel data and dynamically adjust the routing; The power module is also configured with a battery and an energy harvesting device; The maintenance module enables the relay node to have link monitoring, adaptive routing adjustment, and communication module restart functions; Gateway node: connected to the ground monitoring system, receives and summarizes data from the relay nodes, uploads it to the ground monitoring system, and is responsible for remote maintenance of the management nodes. The gateway node includes a processing module, a communication module, and a data storage module; The processing module uses a processor to process large amounts of data and communicate with ground systems; The communication module supports a variety of wired, including Ethernet and optical fiber, and wireless communication methods, including Wi-Fi and 4G / 5G; The data storage module is equipped with a local storage device, including an SD card or a solid-state drive, for temporary storage and log recording; The self-maintenance module has system self-checking, fault alarm, data backup and remote management functions; Ground monitoring system: used to monitor environmental data and node status in mine tunnels and manage the operation of wireless sensor networks. The monitoring system includes a data processing module, a remote maintenance module and a visual management interface, and supports real-time monitoring, historical data analysis, remote configuration management and system report generation; The data processing module displays the data of each sensing node in the mine in real time, including environmental parameters, node status and network topology, stores all monitoring data, supports historical playback and trend analysis of data, generates fault alarms based on fault reports uploaded by nodes, and provides fault location and diagnosis suggestions; The remote maintenance module remotely checks and manages the operating status of each node through the ground monitoring system, performs remote firmware upgrades, configuration adjustments and node restarts, and supports automatic backup of monitoring data and data recovery in the event of a fault; The visual management interface provides intuitive charts and dashboards to display the environmental conditions, node status and network topology within the mine, and generates environmental reports, fault reports and system operation reports based on monitoring data and sends them automatically.

7. The automatic maintenance system for wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 6, It is characterized in that The sensing node and self-maintenance module also include a fault log recording function, and the log record includes in detail the node's fault detection process, self-repair steps and final processing results. The log data is uploaded to the ground monitoring system.

8. The automatic maintenance system for wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 7, It is characterized in that The communication module between the gateway node and the ground monitoring system adopts a redundant communication strategy. When a main communication link fails, the system can continue to maintain normal data transmission through a backup link.

9. The automatic maintenance system for wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The ground monitoring system further includes a data backup and recovery function. When a node or gateway fails, the data can be automatically backed up to the cloud or an off-site server and resynchronized after the system is restored.

10. The automatic maintenance system for wireless sensor network nodes in a mine tunnel according to claim 9, It is characterized in that The visual management interface of the ground monitoring system has the function of displaying the status of each node and network topology in the mine tunnel in real time, and generates real-time alarm information according to the fault report to prompt the maintenance personnel to perform corresponding operations.

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