Positioning of mobile devices in underground worksites

Abstract

According to one example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising: receiving a three-dimensional tunnel model of an underground tunnel system of a worksite (410); receiving two-dimensional position data of a mobile device in the underground tunnel system (420), the two-dimensional position data comprising a plurality of sets of x-coordinate values and y-coordinate values; performing a vertical plane ray casting operation in the tunnel model at a mobile device position defined by an x-coordinate value and a y-coordinate value in the received position data (430); and determining a z-coordinate value for the mobile device position based on the ray casting operation and at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value of a previous mobile device position (440).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the positioning of mobile equipment in underground construction sites, and particularly to determining the vertical plane position of mobile equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Underground construction sites (such as hard rock or soft rock mines) typically comprise various work areas designed to be accessed by different types of mobile work machinery (referred to herein as mobile vehicles). Underground mobile vehicles can be driverless (e.g., remotely controlled from a control room) or manned (i.e., operated by an operator seated in the driver's cab). Mobile vehicles operating on underground sites can be autonomous, i.e., automatic or semi-automatic, operating independently in their normal operating mode without external control, but subject to external control in certain work areas or under certain conditions (e.g., during emergencies). Many sites require location tracking of mobile vehicles and personnel equipped with positioning devices.

[0003] A location tracking unit (LTU) can determine the position of a moving vehicle in an underground tunnel by matching scan data obtained from one or more scanners in the device with a predetermined model, which may be referred to as an environment model or a tunnel model. The scan data defines the contours of the tunnel walls, and the vehicle can be located based on finding the corresponding contours in the environment model. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims define specific embodiments.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided, comprising means configured to perform the following operations: receiving a three-dimensional tunnel model of an underground tunnel system at a construction site; receiving two-dimensional position data of a mobile device in the underground tunnel system, the two-dimensional position data including multiple sets of x-coordinate values ​​and y-coordinate values; performing a vertical plane ray projection operation in the tunnel model at a mobile device position defined by the x-coordinate values ​​and y-coordinate values ​​in the received position data; and determining a z-coordinate value of the mobile device position based on the ray projection operation and at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value of a previous mobile device position.

[0006] The device may include: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to utilize the at least one processor to cause the device to execute.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for modeling an underground tunnel system is provided, comprising: receiving a three-dimensional tunnel model of the underground tunnel system at a construction site; receiving two-dimensional position data of a mobile device in the underground tunnel system, the two-dimensional position data including multiple sets of x-coordinate values ​​and y-coordinate values; performing a vertical plane ray projection operation in the tunnel model at a mobile device position defined by the x-coordinate values ​​and y-coordinate values ​​in the received position data; and determining a z-coordinate value of the mobile device position based on the ray projection operation and at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value of a previous mobile device position.

[0008] According to a third aspect, an apparatus is provided that includes at least one processing core and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to utilize the at least one processing core to cause the apparatus to at least perform the method or an embodiment of the method.

[0009] In an embodiment according to any aspect, a set of z-coordinate values ​​associated with the tunnel top or bottom of a tunnel overlapping in a vertical plane is selected; for each z-coordinate value in the set of z-coordinate values, a deviation from the at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value is determined; and a z-coordinate value for the mobile device is selected based on the determined deviation.

[0010] In any embodiment according to any aspect, the mobile device is a mobile vehicle, or a positioning device that can be attached to or included in a vehicle or carried by a person.

[0011] In embodiments according to any aspect, the x, y, and z coordinate values ​​are applied to one or more of the following: generating visualizations of mobile devices in tunnels based on tunnel models; and for controlling autonomous driving of mobile devices.

[0012] In any embodiment according to any aspect, the device is a server or included in a control system that is also configured to visualize the logic tunnel model on at least one display device. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 An example of an underground construction site is shown;

[0014] Figure 2 A 3D tunnel model of an underground construction site is shown;

[0015] Figure 3a and Figure 3b Mining vehicles are shown in the underground construction site;

[0016] Figure 4 A method according to at least some embodiments is shown;

[0017] Figure 5a The mesh of the mesh tunnel model is shown;

[0018] Figure 5b A grid tunnel model is shown;

[0019] Figure 6 The image shows the ray projection of a mining vehicle in a mining site with vertically overlapping tunnels;

[0020] Figure 7 and Figure 8 The determination of the z-coordinate value is shown in the case of a ramp;

[0021] Figure 9 This is an example system based on at least some embodiments; and

[0022] Figure 10 A device capable of supporting at least some of the embodiments is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The term "mining vehicle" as used herein generally refers to mobile machinery suitable for operating various types of mining and / or construction excavation sites, such as trucks, dump trucks, vans, mobile drilling rigs or mills, mobile fortification machinery, bucket loaders, or other types of mobile machinery applicable to different types of surface and / or underground excavation sites. Therefore, the term "mining vehicle" is not in any way limited to vehicles used only in mines, but rather can refer to mobile machinery used on-site during excavation. The term "autonomous mobile vehicle" refers herein to an automated or semi-automatic mobile vehicle that can be operated / driven independently in its autonomous mode without continuous user control, but may be subject to external control, for example, in emergency situations.

[0024] Figure 1 A simplified example of a mine site 1 is shown, in which mine site 1 is an underground mine including an underground tunnel network 2. Multiple mobile objects or equipment, such as personnel or pedestrians 3 and / or mining vehicles 4, 5, 6, 7, may exist in different areas or work zones of site 1 and move between different areas or work zones of site 1.

[0025] Site 1 includes a communication system, such as a wireless access system including a wireless local area network (WLAN) comprising multiple wireless access nodes 8. Access nodes 8 can communicate with wireless communication units included in mobile devices carried by mining vehicles or pedestrians, and can communicate with other communication devices (not shown), such as network devices configured to communicate with a control system 9, which can be on-site (underground or above ground) and / or remotely via an intermediate network. For example, the server of system 9 can be configured to manage at least some operations on the site, such as providing an operator UI to remotely monitor and control the automated operation of mining vehicles when needed, and / or assign work tasks to a fleet of vehicles, and update and / or monitor task progress and status.

[0026] System 9 can connect to other networks and systems, such as site management systems, cloud services, and intermediary communication networks (e.g., the Internet). This system may include or connect to other devices or control units, such as handheld user units, vehicle units, site management equipment / systems, remote control and / or monitoring equipment / systems, data analysis equipment / systems, sensor systems / equipment, etc.

[0027] Site 1 may also include various other types of mining operation equipment 10 that can be connected to control system 9, for example, via access node 8. Figure 1 Not shown in detail. Examples of this additional mining operation equipment 10 include various devices for power supply, ventilation, air condition analysis, safety, communication, and other automation equipment. For example, the site may include a access control system that includes access control units (PCUs) 11 that separate work areas, some of which may be configured for autonomous operation of mining vehicles. The access control system and associated PCUs may be configured to allow or prevent one or more mining vehicles and / or pedestrians from moving between the areas.

[0028] Figure 2 An example of a 3D model 20 of an underground construction site and its tunnel is shown, illustrating the tunnel's bottom 21, walls 22, and top 23. The 3D model may include, or be formed based on, point cloud data generated from scans. The 3D model may be stored in a database accessible by one or more modules of a computing device (e.g., a mine model processing module, a user interface or visualization module, a route planning module, and / or a location service module). In other embodiments, the 3D model may be a design model, or may be generated based on a design model created by mine design software (e.g., a CAD model), or based on drilling and blasting design software (e.g., [missing information]). The 3D model of the tunnel lines and cross-sections designed in the original text is generated. Therefore, the same analysis or processing can be performed on the model obtained from the measurement of the tunnel environment or the initial planning model.

[0029] Figure 3a and Figure 3b Side and top views of a mining vehicle 30 (e.g., a loader or a load transport (LHD) vehicle including a bucket) are shown respectively. In some embodiments, the mining vehicle 30 may be an articulated vehicle comprising two sections connected by a joint. However, it should be understood that the application of the currently disclosed autonomous driving mode features is not limited to any particular type of mining vehicle.

[0030] The mining vehicle 30 includes at least one control unit 32 configured to control at least some functions and / or actuators of the mining vehicle. The control unit 32 may include one or more computing units / processors that execute computer program code stored in memory. In some embodiments, the control unit may be connected to one or more other control units of the mining vehicle's control system via a controller local area network (CAN) bus. The control unit may include or be connected to a user interface with a display device, and an operator input interface for receiving operator commands and information from the control unit.

[0031] In some embodiments, control unit 32 is configured to control at least operations related to autonomous operation control, and one or more other control units may be present in the mining vehicle for controlling other operations. It should be understood that control unit 32 may be configured to perform at least some of the features shown below, or multiple control units or controllers may be applied to perform these features. Other operational modules or functions performed by the control unit may also be present, such as an autonomous driving mode selection function, at least one positioning unit / module / function, and / or obstacle detection function.

[0032] Mining vehicle 30 can be driverless. Therefore, the user interface can be located away from the vehicle, and the vehicle can be remotely controlled via a communication network by an operator in the tunnel, in a control room in the mine area, or even further away from the mine. Control units outside mining vehicle 30 (e.g., control units in control system 9) can be configured to perform some of the features shown below.

[0033] The mining vehicle 30 includes one or more scanning units or scanners 34 configured to scan the environment of the mining vehicle. In one embodiment, for example, the scanner 34 may be a 2D scanner configured to monitor the tunnel walls at a desired height. The control unit 32 may: compare the tunnel contour data obtained from the operational scan with reference contour data stored in an environment model; and locate the mining vehicle based on a match found in the environment model and / or correct the location through dead reckoning, thereby locating the mining vehicle.

[0034] The mining vehicle 30 may include a position tracking unit, which in some embodiments is at least partially based on scanning of the environment surrounding the mining vehicle. Alternatively, position tracking may be performed outside the mining vehicle, for example by an LTU in the control system 9 based on sensor data from the mining vehicle.

[0035] In one embodiment, at least some of the features shown in WO 2007 / 012198 are applied to the automated navigation of a mining vehicle. An operator can teach the mining vehicle a route, either manually or remotely, along which the vehicle can move without operator intervention. Tunnels in the operating area of ​​the mining vehicle need to be pre-taught a reference model, which serves as the basis for route determination. This reference model may be referred to as an environment model or a tunnel model. The tunnel model can be taught by scanning the tunnels using the mining vehicle or other types of vehicles, including scanners. Once the tunnel model of the operating area has been taught, bound to the coordinate system of the operating area, and stored in a data system, the mining vehicle is driven along the route required for teaching the specific driving task. The navigation system determines the position of the mining vehicle and can determine the position of route points relative to the environment model on the route traveled.

[0036] However, it should be understood that a pre-taught route is not required; instead, the location can be determined based on scanning and mapping to an environmental model. In this embodiment, the position of the moving vehicle is tracked based on dead reckoning, and orientation sensing is applied, with the position corrected based on scans.

[0037] Some positioning systems only provide 2D horizontal position information, i.e., x and y coordinate values. However, in many cases, production areas comprise several partially or completely overlapping regions, where 2D position information is ambiguous. Vertical position information is also required to locate mobile devices in a 3D model, which is often used in mining sites. An improved system for locating mobile vehicles in underground tunnel systems is now available.

[0038] Figure 4A method for locating mobile devices in an underground construction site is illustrated. This method can be implemented by a device configured to locate mobile devices and / or process models of the underground construction site, such as a server, site operator, designer or controller workstation, mobile unit or device, vehicle-mounted control equipment, or other appropriately configured data processing equipment.

[0039] Receive a 3D tunnel model of the underground tunnel system at site 410. Receive 2D location data at site 420. The location data may be referred to as first or horizontal plane location data and includes multiple sets of x and y coordinate values ​​indicating the first plane or horizontal position of a mobile device within the underground tunnel system. The mobile device may be a mobile vehicle (e.g., vehicle 30) or a unit carried by personnel (or contained within it). The multiple sets of x and y coordinate values ​​define the determined 2D path of the mobile device. The tunnel model and location data may be received from a memory connected to or contained within the device, or from another unit via a communication connection. For example, the location data may be generated by (and received from) a 2D LTU configured to monitor the position of mining vehicles or personnel at the site.

[0040] A second or vertical plane ray projection operation (430) is performed in the tunnel model. A ray projection operation (430suos) is performed at the mobile device location defined by the x and y coordinate values ​​in the received location data. Based on the ray projection operation and at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value from the previous mobile device location, the z-coordinate value of the mobile device location (440) is determined. For example, the earlier resolved z-coordinate value may be stored as the result of a previous execution of the method and received along with the associated x and y coordinate values.

[0041] The z-coordinate value indicates the vertical position of the mobile device within the tunnel system (in a second plane or). It should be noted that this plane can be adjusted according to the applied coordinate system, such as relative to the mobile device or the site. Ray projection operations typically refer to calculating ray-surface intersection tests. The vertical plane does not necessarily have to be exactly aligned with the normal direction of the Earth's surface, and the horizontal plane does not necessarily have to be perpendicular to the normal direction of the Earth's surface. The x, y, and z coordinate values ​​can, but do not necessarily have to, be Cartesian coordinate values.

[0042] It should be understood that Figure 4 General features related to determining the z-coordinate of underground mobile equipment are shown, and various additions, options, and / or modifications can be applied. Some additional embodiments are shown below. For example, there are several options regarding how the z-coordinate value of the location of mobile equipment 440 (hereinafter also referred to as Zn in the following examples) can be determined based on an earlier resolved z-coordinate value (hereinafter also referred to as Zn-1).

[0043] In some embodiments, the z-coordinate value of the mobile device's position is determined based on pre-configured pit bottom and / or pit top offset values. Box 440 may include determining the distance to the ray intersection point (i.e., the point where the ray hits the 3D surface of the tunnel). The z-coordinate value of the mobile device's position may be determined based on said determined distance. Pre-configured pit bottom and / or pit top offset values ​​may be applied to define the z-coordinate value of the mobile device at a pre-configured distance from the ray intersection point. For example, an offset selected within the range of 0.2 to 1.5 meters from the pit bottom intersection point (e.g., 1 meter) may be applied.

[0044] In some embodiments, reference Figure 5a and Figure 5b The tunnel model is a mesh model 50 that includes vertices, edges, and faces. Therefore, execution... Figure 4 The device using this method can determine the z-coordinate value based on the collision point where the ray hits the tunnel mesh.

[0045] In some other embodiments, the tunnel model is a point cloud model (e.g., model 20) and includes 3D point cloud data. The point cloud data can be generated based on a scanned tunnel. Execution Figure 4 The apparatus for this method can be configured to determine the distance to the tunnel ceiling or floor in the direction of ray projection based on a set of points closest to / adjacent to the ray point being evaluated. Simulation of the (cave or floor) intersection can be performed by measuring the distance to adjacent points at, for example, different ray points every 10 cm (i.e., different ray distances). A threshold distance for recording hits can be configured based on the density of the point cloud model. At the ray point / distance, a hit can be recorded and thus an intersection can be recorded when at least one point (multiple points may be required) is closer than the threshold distance. For example, if the point cloud has a maximum point density of 2 cm, a threshold distance of 10 cm can provide good results.

[0046] The ray projection in box 430 results in intersections, which can be x, y, and z coordinates in 3D space. These intersections are used to find possible z-coordinate values ​​for the x and y coordinates of the mobile device's location. When raying upwards, assume the first intersection is the bottom of the tunnel, the second intersection is the top of the tunnel, the third intersection is the bottom, and so on.

[0047] It should be understood that multiple rays can be applied, preferably with their starting points separated by a configurable distance but directed in the same direction. For example, multiple rays in the range of 2 to 20 rays can be applied, such as 5 rays. However, it is already possible and has been found that detecting even a single ray is sufficient to provide reliable results.

[0048] refer to Figure 6For example, the projection of ray 60 can be used to find the tunnel bottom intersection 63 directly below the mining vehicle (and / or the tunnel top intersection 64 directly above the mining vehicle). The ray can be emitted vertically from positions X, Y, and Zr, where X and Y are coordinate values ​​determined by the positioning device / LTU (and received in box 410), and Zr is the vertical starting point of the ray. The value of Zr can be negative infinity, but in some embodiments it is determined separately based on an earlier resolved z-coordinate value.

[0049] The actual Z-coordinate of the mobile device (e.g., mining vehicle 30) can be assumed to be the Z-value of the pit bottom intersection 63 plus the specified offset value Z. offset This offset value could be, for example, 1m above the bottom of the pit. This location can be resolved as X, Y, Z. 63 +Z offset Z 63 It is the z-coordinate value of the intersection point 63 at the bottom of the pit.

[0050] However, as Figure 6 As shown, if multiple tunnels 40, 42, and 44 are located on top of each other, the projection of ray 60 will result in more than two intersections 61-66, and the correct pit bottom intersection cannot be resolved.

[0051] Whenever mining vehicle 30 enters the site (e.g., into tunnel 42), positive infinity can be used as Zr, and the ray is projected downwards. Figure 6 (Not shown in the image). In this case, the second intersection point 65 would be the bottom intersection point. Since there cannot be a tunnel above the mine entrance, it is safe to assume that the second hit is the correct intersection point.

[0052] To resolve the issue of multiple intersections in overlapping tunnels, the following steps were performed: Figure 4 The device of the method can be configured to: determine the starting point Zr of ray 68 of box 430 based on the earlier resolved z-coordinate value, and / or select an appropriate intersection (63 or 64) from all detected intersections 61-66 based on the earlier resolved z-coordinate value.

[0053] In some embodiments, in box 430, only a subset of the points of the 3D tunnel model is applied as the input dataset. Therefore, additional preprocessing or filtering steps may be necessary before box 430. For example, using a reduced resolution or number of points, or a reduced number of grids, might suffice. The model processing algorithm can be configured to detect and exclude certain portions of the 3D tunnel model that are irrelevant to box 430 based on relevance indicators in these data portions.

[0054] Based on the ray casting operation 430, the detected z-coordinate values ​​can be further qualified, restricted, or filtered.

[0055] In one embodiment, execution Figure 4 The device for the method is also configured to:

[0056] - Detect a set of z-coordinate values ​​associated with the tunnel top or bottom of a tunnel that overlaps in the vertical plane.

[0057] - For each z-coordinate value in the set of z-coordinate values, determine the deviation from the at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value, and

[0058] - Select the z-coordinate value for the mobile device based on the determined deviation.

[0059] In one embodiment, the horizontal plane distance and / or time between the mobile device's location and an earlier determined location of the mobile device are determined. One or more earlier resolved z-coordinate values ​​of those determined locations of the mobile device whose horizontal plane distance and / or time does not exceed a threshold are selected, or these z-coordinate values ​​are made eligible for use in z-coordinate determination in box 440. In some cases, this may directly result in only one z-coordinate value (which is sufficiently new) that can be determined as the z-coordinate value in box 440.

[0060] In some embodiments, the starting point of ray 68 in the vertical plane is determined based on at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value. Therefore, in this embodiment, the z-coordinate value defines 440 based on the earlier resolved z-coordinate value that influences the ray projection operation 430. In one embodiment, the starting position of the ray projection operation in the tunnel model is defined based on the at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value and a pre-configured minimum distance value indicating the minimum distance between overlapping tunnels. The z-coordinate value can then be determined based on either the first intersection point (pit bottom or pit top, depending on the ray direction) or the second intersection point (pit top or pit bottom).

[0061] To prevent the detection of the z-coordinate of the lower tunnel 44, the Zr used for ray projection can be configured by selecting a z-coordinate value that is lower than the possible pit bottom level 63 but higher than the possible tunnel 44 below. Therefore, Zr will depend on the previously analyzed z-coordinate value, which can be referred to as Zn-1. In a mine where the tunnel will be at a basic level, Zr is:

[0062] Z r =.Z n-1 -Minimum R (1)

[0063] Here, minimum R is the minimum amount of rock between two overlapping tunnels (e.g., in meters).

[0064] refer to Figure 7The mine has ramps 70 and 72, which are tunnels connecting layers at different depths. When the mobile equipment moves to the left in ramp 70, applying equation (1) to Zr may result in an incorrect intersection.

[0065] In some embodiments, a ramp limiter is operated to define the starting point of the ray based on the maximum elevation and / or tilt angle of the mobile device position in the horizontal plane relative to the previous mobile device position and the distance.

[0066] To prevent Zr from being inside or below a possible tunnel, the following requirements can be configured for the uphill ramp Zr limiter ( Figure 8 (Eq2 limiter in the middle):

[0067] Zr>Z n-1 -Minimum R + Maximum G × dist (2)

[0068] in:

[0069] -Xn and Yn are the current coordinates of the mobile device's location.

[0070] -Xn-1, Yn-1, and Zn-1 are the previous coordinates of the mobile device's location.

[0071] - Minimum R is the minimum amount of rock between two vertically overlapping tunnels. For example, the minimum value can be configured to 5 meters. This value may be mine-specific and can be configured according to specific circumstances.

[0072] - Maximum G is the maximum gradient of the tunnel. This value is always positive. For example, this value can be set to 0.15, which means a maximum gradient of 15%.

[0073] -dist is the distance between Xn, Yn and Xn-1, Yn-1 in 2D space:

[0074]

[0075] Additionally, to prevent Zr from being located above the bottom of the tunnel where the mobile device is situated, the requirement in the equation is further configured as follows:

[0076] Zr < Z n-1 -Maximum G×dist (4)

[0077] This can limit the (downhill) slope Zr limiter. Figure 8 (The Eq4 limiter in the text), and this check is required when the mobile device is traveling downhill along a steep slope.

[0078] The two lines in equations 1 and 2 intersect at points Xn, Yn, and Zr, where:

[0079]

[0080] And the maximum distance between Xn, Yn and Xn-1, Yn-1 is:

[0081]

[0082] Equation (6) can therefore be used to limit the maximum distance a mobile device can travel between location updates. By using Zr to project rays from Xn, Yn, Zr, the rays should hit the bottom of the pit below the mobile device at positions Xn, Yn, Zn.

[0083] As can be seen from equation (6), the location needs to be frequently updated based on the minimum R and maximum G values ​​of the mine. For example, if the minimum R is 5 meters and the maximum G is 0.15 (15%), the maximum distance the mobile device can travel is approximately 7 meters. After this, Zr cannot be reliably calculated because it can be located elsewhere, beyond the bottom of the tunnel where the mobile device is situated.

[0084] When the mobile device travels at a maximum speed of V, the formula can be derived from the requirement of the maximum time T between each location update of the positioning device:

[0085]

[0086] The maximum speed V is the maximum speed of the machine on a steep slope, measured in seconds per meter.

[0087] For example, if the minimum R is 5m, the maximum G is 0.15, and the maximum V is 4m / s, then T becomes 8.33s. Therefore, the minimum time between each location update is inversely proportional to the current speed of the mobile device, and becomes infinite when the mobile device stops.

[0088] (Optimal) Zn can be obtained by setting Zr as follows:

[0089]

[0090] If the requirement of updating the maximum distance between n and n-1 at each position is satisfied:

[0091]

[0092] If the distance requirement is not met, Zr cannot be calculated. In this case, Zr can be set to negative infinity, and the next ray projection will only produce two intersection points, with Zn set to the z-coordinate value from the first intersection point.

[0093] It should be understood that although some of the example embodiments above show upward-projecting rays, alternatively, the features shown above can be applied in conjunction with downward-projecting rays.

[0094] The obtained x, y, and z coordinate values ​​can be used as input for various purposes and applications of controlling operations at site 1. For example, the coordinate values ​​can be used to generate a visualization of mobile devices within a tunnel based on a tunnel model, and / or to control the autonomous driving of mobile vehicles (which are or include mobile devices). A 3D location indicator for the mobile device's position can be generated based on the x, y, and z coordinate values. The mobile device can be displayed on a 3D map based on the 3D location indicator, using the 3D tunnel model. In some embodiments, the 3D location indicator is provided as input to a collision avoidance system. The navigation application may include a positioning unit configured to generate and / or apply the 3D location indicator and define a path / route and / or maneuver control for the mobile vehicle.

[0095] However, it should be understood that the 3D position of mobile devices in tunnel systems can also be used for a variety of other purposes and applications.

[0096] It should be noted that the tunnel model can be updated repeatedly. For example, drilling rigs or loading and transport vehicles can be configured to scan their working area in the tunnel in each round to update the mine model according to the progress of excavation.

[0097] Figure 9 An example of a system for an underground construction site is shown. The system includes a wireless access network 88 comprising a plurality of access nodes 8 for wireless communication with the communication devices of moving objects 3-7 within the tunnel. The system includes a server 90, which may include one or more above-ground or underground computing units. The server 90 is configured to perform at least some of the aforementioned features related to the positioning of the moving object based on signals received from the moving object via the access network, such as... Figure 4 The method.

[0098] Figure 9 Further shown are operation modules 91-97 of server 90 according to some embodiments. Object tracking module 92 is configured to perform... Figure 4 The method generates 3D coordinate values ​​and provides them to one or more other modules, such as location service module 91 in some embodiments.

[0099] Server 90 may include a task manager or management module 93 configured to manage at least some operations on the work site. For example, the task manager may be configured to assign work tasks to a fleet of vehicles and update and / or monitor task progress and status, as indicated in the task management GUI.

[0100] Server 90 may include model processing module 94, which can maintain one or more models of the underground site, such as a 3D tunnel model.

[0101] Server 90 may include a visualization GUI module 95 configured to generate at least some display views for an operator (locally and / or remotely). In some embodiments, the visualization GUI module 95 is configured to generate a 3D (and / or 2D) view indicating the current location of the mobile device based on the aforementioned x, y, z coordinate values.

[0102] Server 61 may include additional modules 97 (such as remote monitoring processes and UI), and / or a cloud scheduler component configured to provide selected site information (such as the location information of moving objects) to the cloud service.

[0103] The system and server 90 can connect to other systems 87 and / or networks 99, such as site management systems, cloud services, intermediate communication networks (such as the Internet), etc. The system may also include or connect to other devices or control units, such as handheld user units, vehicle units, site management equipment / systems, remote control and / or monitoring equipment / systems, data analysis equipment / systems, sensor systems / devices, etc.

[0104] Object tracking 92 can be implemented as part of another module, such as location service module 91. Location service 91 is configured to provide, upon request or via push transmission, mobile object location information obtained from or generated based on information from object tracking 92 to related modules or functions (e.g., database 98, visual GUI 95, and / or remote unit or system 87) via one or more networks 99. Figure 9 In the example, modules are shown as interconnected, but it should be understood that not all modules need to be interconnected.

[0105] The system may include or be connected to a vehicle control unit or module, and may transmit a pit bottom model and / or location information based on the pit bottom model to the vehicle control unit or module. The vehicle control unit may be located in each autonomously operated vehicle and configured to control at least some autonomous operations of the vehicle based on 3D position indicators. For example, in response to detecting a person entering an area including an autonomously operated vehicle, the control unit may be configured to send a control command to stop the vehicle.

[0106] An electronic device including electronic circuitry can be used to implement at least some embodiments of the present invention (e.g., in combination with...). Figure 4The device (shown as the main operating device). This device may be included in at least one computing device connected to or integrated into a control system, which may be part of a site control or automation system.

[0107] Figure 10 Example devices capable of supporting at least some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated. The illustrated device is 100, which can be configured to perform at least some of the embodiments related to the above-described moving object position tracking. In some embodiments, device 100 includes or implements... Figure 9 The server 90 and / or object tracking module 92. In another embodiment, the device is included or carried by a moving object 3-7, such as a mobile communication device or a vehicle control unit, configured to perform at least some of the embodiments related to the determination of the z-coordinate value described above.

[0108] Processor 101 is included in device 100, and processor 101 may include, for example, a single-core or multi-core processor. Processor 101 may include more than one processor. The processor may include at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor may include at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The processor may be configured at least in part by computer instructions to perform actions.

[0109] Device 100 may include memory 102. The memory may include random access memory and / or permanent memory. Processor 101 may be at least partially capable of accessing the memory. The memory may be at least partially contained within processor 101. The memory may be at least partially external to device 100, but accessible by the device. Memory 102 may be means for storing information (e.g., parameters 104 affecting device operation). Parameter information may in particular include parameter information affecting, for example, ray projection and z-coordinate value determination, such as threshold values.

[0110] Memory 102 may include computer program code 103, which includes computer instructions configured to be executed by processor 101. When computer instructions configured to cause the processor to perform certain actions are stored in memory, and the device is generally configured to operate under the guidance of the processor using computer instructions from memory, the processor and / or at least one of its processing cores may be considered configured to perform said certain actions. The processor, together with the memory and computer program code, may form means for performing at least some of the above-described method steps within the device.

[0111] Device 100 may include a communication unit 105, which includes a transmitter and / or a receiver. The transmitter and receiver are configurable to transmit and receive information according to at least one cellular or non-cellular standard. The transmitter and / or receiver are configurable to operate according to, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, 3GPP New Radio Access Technology (N-RAT), WLAN, and / or Ethernet. Device 100 may include a Near Field Communication (NFC) transceiver. The NFC transceiver may support at least one NFC technology, such as NFC, Bluetooth, or similar technologies.

[0112] Device 100 may include or be connected to a UI. The UI may include at least one of a display 106, a speaker, an input device 107 (such as a keyboard, joystick, touchscreen), and / or a microphone. The UI can be configured to display a view based on a tunnel model and moving object position indicators. Users can operate the device and control a control system (e.g.,...). Figure 9 The system (as shown) has at least some of the features of the system. In some embodiments, the user can control vehicles 4-7 and / or the server via a UI, for example, to change the operating mode, change the display view, modify parameter 104, etc., in response to user authentication and sufficient permissions associated with the user.

[0113] Device 100 may also include and / or be connected to other units, devices, and systems, such as one or more sensor devices 108 that sense the environment of device 100. The sensor devices may include an LTU, an IMU, or another type of sensor device configured to determine the motion of a moving object.

[0114] The processor 101, memory 102, communication unit 105, and UI can be interconnected in various ways via electrical leads within the device 100. For example, each of the aforementioned devices can be individually connected to the main bus within the device to allow the devices to exchange information. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, this is merely an example, and various ways of interconnecting at least two of the aforementioned devices can be selected according to embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0115] It should be understood that the disclosed embodiments of the invention are not limited to the specific structures, processes, or materials disclosed herein, but extend to equivalents of the specific structures, processes, or materials disclosed herein that would be recognized by those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0116] Throughout this specification, reference to an embodiment or an embodiment means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. When numerical values ​​are referenced using terms such as, for example, about or substantially, the precise numerical value is also disclosed.

[0117] As used herein, for convenience, multiple items, structural elements, constituent elements, and / or materials may be presented in a common list. However, these lists should be interpreted as if each member in the list were individually identified as a separate and unique member. Therefore, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, no individual member in such a list should be construed as an equivalent in fact to any other member in the same list solely based on their presentation in the common set. Furthermore, various embodiments and examples of the invention may be mentioned herein together with alternatives to their various components. It should be understood that these embodiments, examples, and alternatives should not be construed as de facto equivalents of each other, but should be regarded as separate and autonomous representations of the invention.

[0118] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details, such as examples of length, width, shape, etc., have been provided in the foregoing description to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the stated specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0119] While the foregoing examples illustrate the principles of the invention in one or more specific applications, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications in form, use, and implementation details can be made without requiring inventive effort and without departing from the principles and concept of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited except by the appended claims.

[0120] The verbs “comprising” and “including” are used in this document as open-ended restrictions, neither excluding nor requiring the presence of any unlisted features. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with each other. Furthermore, it should be understood that the use of “a” or “an”, i.e., the singular form, in this document does not exclude multiple features.

Claims

1. A device (100) for locating mobile equipment in an underground tunnel system, comprising means configured to perform the following operations: Receive (410) the three-dimensional tunnel model (50) of the underground tunnel system (2) of the construction site. Receive (420) two-dimensional position data of the mobile device (30) in the underground tunnel system, the two-dimensional position data including multiple sets of x-coordinate values ​​and y-coordinate values ​​indicating horizontal position. In the tunnel model, a vertical plane ray projection operation (430) is performed at the location of the mobile device, defined by the x-coordinate and y-coordinate values ​​in the received location data, and Based on the ray projection operation and at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value of the previous mobile device location, (440) the z-coordinate value of the mobile device location is determined, wherein the device is configured to determine the distance to the ray intersection point (63), and the z-coordinate value is determined based on the determined distance, and wherein the device is configured to: detect a set of z-coordinate values ​​associated with the tunnel top or tunnel bottom of a tunnel overlapping in a vertical plane; for each z-coordinate value in the set of z-coordinate values, determine the deviation from the at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value; and based on the determined deviation, select a z-coordinate value for the mobile device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to: determine the horizontal plane distance and / or time between the location of the mobile device and an earlier determined location of the mobile device (30); and qualify one or more of the earlier determined locations of the mobile device for z-coordinate determination, wherein the horizontal plane distance and / or time between the one or more earlier determined locations does not exceed a threshold.

3. The device according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the device is configured to determine the z-coordinate value of the mobile device position based on pre-configured pit bottom and / or pit top offset values.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the device is configured to: define the starting position of the ray projection operation in the tunnel model in the vertical plane based on the at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value and a pre-configured minimum distance value indicating the minimum distance between overlapping tunnels.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the device is further configured to perform ramp limiter operation for defining the starting point of the ray based on the maximum elevation and / or tilt angle and distance of the mobile device position in the horizontal plane relative to the previous mobile device position.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the first model is a mesh model including vertices, edges and faces, and the device is configured to determine the z-coordinate value based on the collision point where the ray hits the tunnel mesh.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the tunnel model comprises three-dimensional point cloud data generated based on scanning the underground tunnel system (2), and the device is configured to determine the distance to the top or bottom of the tunnel pit in the ray projection direction based on a set of adjacent points.

8. A method for locating mobile equipment in an underground tunnel system, comprising: Receive (410) the three-dimensional tunnel model (50) of the underground tunnel system (2) of the construction site. Receive (420) two-dimensional horizontal plane position data of the mobile device (30) in the underground tunnel system, the two-dimensional horizontal plane position data including multiple sets of x coordinate values ​​and y coordinate values. Based on the mobile device position defined by the x-coordinate and y-coordinate values ​​in the received location data, a (430) vertical plane ray projection operation is performed in the tunnel model, and Based on the ray casting operation and at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value of the previous mobile device position, the z-coordinate value of the mobile device position is determined (440), and The method further includes: Detect a set of z-coordinate values ​​associated with the tunnel top or bottom of a tunnel that overlaps in a vertical plane. For each z-coordinate value in the set of z-coordinate values, determine the deviation from the at least one earlier analyzed z-coordinate value, and Based on the determined deviation, a z-coordinate value is selected for the mobile device.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: Determine the horizontal plane distance and / or time between the location of the mobile device and an earlier determined location of the mobile device, and The earlier resolved z-coordinate values ​​of those determined locations of the mobile device are qualified for z-coordinate determination, provided that the horizontal plane distance and / or time of the earlier resolved z-coordinate values ​​does not exceed a threshold.

10. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the starting position of the ray projection operation in the tunnel model in the vertical plane is determined based on the at least one earlier resolved z-coordinate value and a pre-configured minimum distance value indicating the minimum distance between overlapping tunnels.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the z-coordinate value of the mobile device position is determined based on pre-configured pit bottom and / or pit top offset values.

12. A computer program product comprising code that, when executed in a data processing apparatus, causes the method according to any one of claims 8-11 to be performed.

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