Determination of route of mining vehicle in underground worksite

Abstract

According to an aspect, a device may obtain map data associated with an underground worksite tunnel system; obtaining a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in the tunnel system; obtaining vehicle information comprising at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with a structural body component of the mining vehicle and a movable working device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints comprising a mobility limit of the movable working device; and determining a collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle between the starting position and the ending position based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the vehicle information, the collision-free continuous route has at least one collision-free position for the movable working device within a mobility limit of the movable working device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Various embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the technical field of underground worksites and vehicles used therein. In particular, some example embodiments relate to solutions for determining a route of a vehicle in a tunnel system of an underground worksite. Background Art

[0002] Mining or construction excavation sites, such as underground hard or soft rock mines, use working machines, such as loading and / or hauling machines and drilling rigs, which may also be referred to as (mine) vehicles.

[0003] The vehicle may be provided with a boom and a mining working device or working machine located on the boom. During use, the boom may be moved between different working positions. The boom may also have a transport position, wherein when the boom is moved to the transport position, the vehicle may be moved to another location on site. However, particularly in narrow tunnels, such as in mines and some other types of sites where the movement space of the vehicle may be limited, there may be a risk that the boom may hit a wall of the mine or another obstacle during the movement of the vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0004] This Summary is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] Example embodiments may provide a solution that enables planning a collision-free continuous route for a mining vehicle traveling in a tunnel system at an underground construction site. This advantage is achieved by the features of the independent claim. Further implementation forms are provided in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

[0006] According to a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus for a mining vehicle, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory comprising computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus, through the at least one processor, to at least perform the following operations: obtain map data associated with a tunnel system of an underground work site; obtain a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in the tunnel system; obtain mining vehicle information, the mining vehicle information comprising at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with structural body members of the mining vehicle and a movable working device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints comprising mobility limits of the movable working device; determine a collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle between the starting position and the ending position, along which the collision-free continuous route has at least one collision-free position for the movable working device within the mobility limit of the movable working device, based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the mining vehicle information.

[0007] In an example embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, by the at least one processor, to at least control visualization of the determined collision-free continuous route.

[0008] In an example embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, via the at least one processor, to at least control a mining vehicle to travel through the determined collision-free continuous route.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the device to at least perform the following operations through the at least one processor: determine multiple candidate routes between a start point and an end point using at least map data, a route start point and a route end point, and different pit wall distance values; improve at least one of the multiple candidate routes using at least map data and mining vehicle information while satisfying kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle and the movable working device of the mining vehicle; and select a candidate route from the at least one improved candidate route as the collision-free continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the mobility restriction of the movable working device restricts horizontal mobility and / or vertical mobility of the movable working device.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the mobility restriction of the movable working device sets at least two allowable preset positions for the movable working device.

[0012] In an example embodiment of the first aspect, the mobility limit of the movable working device allows the movable working device to move continuously within the mobility limit.

[0013] In an example embodiment of the first aspect, the space constraints associated with the mining vehicle include space constraints solely for a rear body and a front body of the mining vehicle.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the movable working device includes at least one boom or bucket.

[0015] In an example embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to at least cause the apparatus, via the at least one processor, to determine the collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle prior to initiating the collision-free continuous route.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the starting position and / or the ending position comprises a direction and / or an orientation of the mining vehicle.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the starting position and / or the ending position comprises a position of each structural body member and / or working device of the mining vehicle.

[0018] According to a second aspect, there is provided a mining vehicle comprising the apparatus according to the first aspect.

[0019] According to a third aspect, a method includes: obtaining map data associated with a tunnel system of an underground worksite; obtaining a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in the tunnel system; obtaining mining vehicle information, the mining vehicle information including at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with structural body components of the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle, wherein the kinematic constraints include mobility limits of the movable work device; determining a collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle between the starting position and the ending position based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the collision-free continuous route having at least one collision-free position for the movable work device within the mobility limit of the movable work device along the collision-free continuous route.

[0020] In an example embodiment of the third aspect, the method further comprises controlling a visualization of the determined collision-free continuous route.

[0021] In an example embodiment of the third aspect, the method further comprises controlling the mining vehicle to travel through the determined collision-free continuous route.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the method further comprises: determining a plurality of candidate routes between a starting point and an ending point using at least map data, a route starting point and an ending point, and different pit wall distance values; improving at least one of the plurality of candidate routes using at least map data and mining vehicle information while satisfying kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle and a movable working device of the mining vehicle; and selecting a candidate route from the at least one improved candidate route as the collision-free continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0023] In an example embodiment of the third aspect, the mobility restriction of the movable working device restricts horizontal mobility and / or vertical mobility of the movable working device.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the mobility restriction of the movable working device sets at least two allowable preset positions for the movable working device.

[0025] In an example embodiment of the third aspect, the mobility limit of the movable working device allows the movable working device to move continuously within the mobility limit.

[0026] In an example embodiment of the third aspect, the space constraints associated with the mining vehicle include space constraints solely for a rear body and a front body of the mining vehicle.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the movable working device includes at least one boom or bucket.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the method further comprises determining the collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle prior to initiating the collision-free continuous route.

[0029] In an example embodiment of the third aspect, the starting position and / or the ending position comprises a direction and / or an orientation of the mining vehicle.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the starting position and / or the ending position comprises a position of each structural body member and / or a working device of the mining vehicle.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect, a computer program comprises instructions for causing an apparatus to perform the method of the third aspect.

[0032] According to a fifth aspect, a computer readable medium comprises a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform the method of the third aspect.

[0033] According to a sixth aspect, a device is provided, comprising means for: obtaining map data associated with a tunnel system of an underground work site; obtaining a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in the tunnel system; obtaining mining vehicle information, the mining vehicle information comprising at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with structural body components and a movable working device of the mining vehicle, wherein the kinematic constraints comprise mobility limits of the movable working device; determining a collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle between the starting position and the ending position based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the collision-free continuous route having at least one collision-free position for the movable working device within the mobility limits of the movable working device along the collision-free continuous route.

[0034] Many of the accompanying features will be more readily appreciated as they become better understood from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The accompanying drawings are included in this specification to provide a further understanding of the exemplary embodiments and constitute a part of this specification. The accompanying drawings illustrate the exemplary embodiments and together with the description help to understand the exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

[0036] Figure 1 An example of an underground worksite is shown in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

[0037] Figure 2 An example of a method according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0038] Figure 3A One possible working device position according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0039] Figure 3B Another possible working device position according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0040] Figure 3C Another possible working device position according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0041] Figure 4A Various mining vehicle features are shown according to example embodiments.

[0042] Figure 4B Various mining vehicle features are shown according to example embodiments.

[0043] Figure 5A An example of a two-dimensional view of route planning according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0044] Figure 5BAnother example of a two-dimensional view of route planning according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0045] Figure 6 An example visualization of a mining vehicle navigating a curve in a tunnel system is shown according to an example embodiment.

[0046] Figure 7 An example of a device configured for practicing one or more example embodiments is shown.

[0047] In the drawings, like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Reference will be made in detail to example embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present examples may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions of the examples and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the examples. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be achieved by different examples.

[0049] Figure 1 An example of an underground worksite 100 according to an example embodiment is illustrated. The underground worksite 100 includes a tunnel system 104, which is composed of a network of underground tunnels. One or more movable objects, such as personnel or movable work machines 102 (hereinafter also referred to as vehicles or mining vehicles), can move between different divisions or work areas of the underground worksite 100. The mining vehicle 102 can be any type of movable work machine suitable for use in mine operations, such as a truck, a dump truck, a box truck, a mobile rock drill or cutter, a mobile reinforcement machine, a truck, a dump truck, and a bucket loader. The mining vehicle can be an autonomously operated mining vehicle or an automated mining vehicle, in which the mining vehicle can be independently operated / traveled without continuous user control in its autonomous operation mode, but the mining vehicle can accept external control, such as in an emergency.

[0050] A three-dimensional (3D) (tunnel) model of an underground worksite may be obtained to illustrate the tunnel floor, walls, and roof of the tunnel. The model may include point cloud data generated by scanning a tunnel system, or may be formed based on point cloud data generated by scanning a tunnel system. The point cloud data may include a plurality of data points, which may represent, for example, the distance between a mining vehicle and an object in the environment of the mobile mining vehicle at a particular moment. Each point included in the point cloud may be represented, for example, by X and Y coordinates or X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to a particular coordinate system. The 3D model may be stored in a database that may be accessed by one or more modules in a computing device, such as a route planning module. In other embodiments, the 3D model may be a design model, or may be generated based on a design model, such as a CAD model created by a mine design software, or a 3D model created based on tunnel lines and contours designed in a drill and blast design software.

[0051] In a complex three-dimensional environment, such as an underground mine, using a complete 3D model of a tunnel system may be overly complex and resource consuming. For example, a more efficient vehicle route calculation may be implemented on a map that represents a specific portion of a complete 3D model, such as a map that includes only the pit floor of the mine, possibly with attributes associated with some or all of the pit floor points. The term "pit floor model" generally refers to a model that includes a set of points that indicate the pit floor of a tunnel at least in a horizontal plane (e.g., two-dimensional (2D) or X, Y coordinates). These points may also be referred to as pit floor points. The 3D model of the tunnel may include point cloud data generated based on scanning the tunnel, and the pit floor model is a point cloud model of the pit floor that includes a subset of points extracted from the 3D point cloud data representing the pit floor of the tunnel. The pit floor model may also include vertical planes, such as height, or z coordinate data and / or supplementary data for at least some of the pit floor points.

[0052] Figure 2 An example of a method according to an example embodiment is illustrated. The method may include a computer-implemented method implemented by a device configured to determine a route plan, such as a server, a controller workstation, a mobile unit (such as a mobile cellular device or other type of mobile communication device), a vehicle onboard control device, or other appropriately configured data processing device.

[0053] At 200, map data associated with a tunnel system of an underground worksite may be obtained. The map data may refer to, for example, a traversability map including a pit floor map including additional information regarding features of the pit floor that affect mining vehicle operation. The traversability map may include a pit floor map having additional information encoded therein, such as additional information related to obstacle heights, pit floor slopes, room heights, ground quality, etc. In other words, each pit floor map point may or may not individually include the additional information.

[0054] At 202, a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in a tunnel system may be obtained. For example, the starting position and the ending position may be obtained from a user via user input using an application implementing the method, or may be obtained based on map data. In an example embodiment, the starting position and / or the ending position may include a direction and / or an orientation of the mining vehicle. In an example embodiment, the starting position and / or the ending position may include a position for each structural body member and / or a working device of the mining vehicle.

[0055] At 204, mining vehicle information may be obtained, the mining vehicle information including at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with a structural body member (e.g., a main mobile body portion) of the vehicle and a movable working device of the vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility limits of the movable working device. The kinematic constraints may define, for example, one or more limits of the vehicle, such as a body steering angle, a wheel steering angle, a speed constraint, etc. The mobility limits of the movable working device may limit the horizontal mobility and / or vertical mobility of the movable working device. For example, the movable working device may have a predetermined number of preset horizontal positions in a horizontal plane, such as left, center / center, and right relative to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle portion or a vehicle body portion to which the movable working device is connected. In another example embodiment, in the case of, for example, a bucket, the mobility may be such only in the vertical direction. For example, the movable working device may have a predetermined number of preset vertical positions, such as a lower position, a nominal position, and an upper position relative to, for example, a ground level. The nominal position may refer to a predetermined position of the movable working device relative to the mining vehicle, wherein the predetermined position allows for stable travel or transportation. The nominal position may also be referred to as an unadjusted position of the movable working device. The movable working device may be at least partially moved from the nominal position to another position, for example to perform a task. Furthermore, the movable working device may be at least partially moved from the nominal position to another position, for example a lower position or an upper position, to avoid a collision.

[0056] In another example embodiment, the working device may be movable in a horizontal plane as well as in a vertical position. Furthermore, instead of applying preset discrete positions, the mobility may be capable of stepless control within a predetermined control range. For example, the term "stepless" may refer to any small, even differentially small increment within the mobility limits of the movable working device. In an example embodiment, the spatial constraints associated with the vehicle may include spatial constraints for different body parts of the vehicle separately. For example, a first body (such as a first carrier of a vehicle) may have a different height and / or width than a second body (such as a second carrier of the vehicle), the cab of the vehicle may be higher than the first body and the second body, etc.

[0057] At 206, a collision-free continuous route between the starting position and the ending position of the vehicle may be determined based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the mining vehicle information, along which the collision-free continuous route has at least one collision-free position for the movable work device within the mobility limit of the movable work device. Each position point in the collision-free continuous route may have at least one collision-free position for the movable work device. In an example embodiment, the collision-free continuous route may have at least one collision-free position for the movable work device within the mobility limit of the movable work device at all locations along the collision-free continuous route. In another example embodiment, the collision-free continuous route may have at least one collision-free position for the movable work device within the mobility limit of the movable work device at selected locations along the collision-free continuous route.

[0058] In an example embodiment, the determination of a collision-free continuous route can be divided into a first stage and a second stage. In the first stage, multiple candidate routes between the starting point and the ending point can be determined using at least map data, route starting points and ending points, and different pit wall distance values. In an example embodiment, a direction-aware A* or Theta* planning algorithm, or a Dijkstra algorithm in a gridded trafficability map can be used to find the candidate routes. In the first stage, the candidate routes can be rough approximations, so that there is no guarantee that the mining vehicle can travel. The first stage can be run multiple times with different pit wall distance values ​​to generate multiple route candidates for further optimization. For example, the pit wall distance value means that the route is not allowed to enter within a specified distance from the pit wall. In the second stage, at least one candidate route of the multiple candidate routes can be improved using at least map data and vehicle information, while satisfying kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the vehicle and the movable working device of the vehicle. Improving at least one candidate route can include modifying the at least one candidate route to increase the operating efficiency of the mining vehicle on the route. For example, the improvement may include at least one of: optimizing the route to maximize at least one key performance indicator as a reward function, minimize arrival time, minimize energy consumption, minimize movement or steering effort, maximize distance to known obstacles, etc. For example, the second stage may consider the acceleration and deceleration capabilities and maximum steering speed of the mining vehicle. The second stage may also include checking whether the route can avoid collisions by comparing the body envelope with the pit floor details at the location in the map data. The envelope may generally refer to a 2D or 3D partition that indicates the space required by the vehicle or vehicle body components at the associated route location. Therefore, the envelope may extend beyond the outer outer dimensions of the vehicle to visualize the space required by the expected vehicle at the route point. In addition, in an example embodiment, the second stage may include deforming and optimizing the route spline until the candidate route meets the required drivability constraints and mining vehicle restrictions. In an example embodiment, the second stage may also include: checking the behavior of the safety system by applying the predicted collision envelope at the planned speed to the map to avoid accidental triggering of the safety system due to excessive situation speed. At each route point, the braking distance of the mining vehicle may be estimated based on the planned speed of the mining vehicle at the location. The mining vehicle's envelope may be predicted for braking distances and may be checked for collision-free. In the event of a collision, the mining vehicle's speed or route may be adjusted to achieve a collision-free continuous route. In an example embodiment, the second stage may also include limiting the speed according to traffic regulations and the maximum speed limit of the mine when designing the machine speed for the route.

[0059] Then, a candidate route may be selected from the improved at least one candidate route as the collision-free continuous route based on at least one criterion. The at least one criterion may include one or more criteria associated with the operating efficiency and / or operating safety of the mining vehicle. For example, the at least one criterion may include at least one of the following: fastest arrival time, maximum allowable spacing from pit walls and / or obstacles, and shortest distance, etc.

[0060] In an example embodiment, the device may be configured to control visualization of the determined collision-free continuous route. For example, the device itself may be configured to provide visualization via an output device (e.g., a display) connected to or as part of the device. In another example embodiment, the device may be configured to transmit the determined collision-free continuous route to another entity for visualization.

[0061] In an example embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to control a mining vehicle to travel through the determined collision-free continuous route. In an example embodiment, the mining vehicle may be configured to autonomously travel through the determined collision-free continuous route. In another example embodiment, the mining vehicle may be an automated mining vehicle, which in its autonomous operating mode may operate / travel independently without constant user control, but may accept external control when required.

[0062] The above solution may be used to provide a route for an unmanned autonomous mining vehicle to travel. In an example embodiment, the autonomous mining vehicle itself may be configured to determine the route, or the determined route may be transmitted to the autonomous mining vehicle. In another example embodiment, the mining vehicle may be an automated unmanned or manned mining vehicle, which in its autonomous operating mode may be independently operated / traveled without requiring continuous user control, but may accept external control when required.

[0063] In another example embodiment, the determined route can be visualized and simulated without driving the route. This can be advantageous, for example, when demonstrating to interested parties that a particular mining vehicle can operate without collision in a particular tunnel system.

[0064] Figure 3A , 3B3C illustrate possible working device positions according to an example embodiment. The carrier 302 may be arranged to support at least one working device 300A, 300B, such as a boom. The term "boom" as used herein may refer to a boom or arm to which a working device may be connected, or to a single entity including both an arm and a working device. In this example, the working devices 300A, 300B have three possible preset positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the carrier 302, namely left, center / center and right. When a collision-free continuous route between a starting position and an end position has been determined for a mining vehicle, then at each location along the route, the working devices 300A, 300B may have at least one collision-free position. Therefore, the vehicle can travel through the route without collision. At each route point, in addition to the most suitable working device position, the collision-free continuous route may have more than one additional possible working device position. If the vehicle includes a first body and a second body, the collision-free continuous route may have a single route for the first body and the second body, but with many valid candidates for working device positions. In an example embodiment, the mining vehicle may be configured to attempt to always utilize a neutral position when traveling, or may attempt to minimize the transition of the working device 300A, 300B from one position to another to maximize its stability.

[0065] Figures 3A to 3C An example embodiment is illustrated in which the working devices 300A, 300B are allowed to rotate or turn in a horizontal plane. In another example embodiment, vertical movement may be allowed. For example, the working device may have a plurality of different vertical positions, such as a lower position, a nominal position, and an upper position relative to, for example, ground level, and in each of these positions, the working device may rotate or turn in a single horizontal plane, such as Figures 3A to 3C In addition, instead of the working devices 300A, 300B rotating in the horizontal plane, the working devices can have different height positions, such as a lower position, a nominal position and an upper position, such as when a bucket is used as the working device. In other words, the vertical position of the working device can be varied.

[0066] When controlling the vehicle based on the determined collision-free continuous route, the vehicle can be controlled to freely select between valid working device positions, allowing it to freely make smooth transitions and minimize movement / effort. Portions of the route where the working device has two or more valid positions can be considered as transfer sections of the route, and the working device is allowed to move in these transfer sections during transportation. If the working device may only have a single position or if the transfer section is short, the mining vehicle may have to stop briefly in the transfer section to move the working device from the previously allowed position to the next position before continuing transportation.

[0067] In order to allow the working device to negotiate a sharp bend in a tunnel system of a worksite, a vehicle (e.g., a loader) may be allowed to raise its bucket to travel over a slightly higher obstacle. In addition, a plurality of alternative preset positions may be defined for the boom, bucket, and attachments of a mining vehicle to enable the mining vehicle to travel through portions of a route in a tunnel system. In another example embodiment, instead of using predetermined positions, the boom, bucket, and attachments of a mining vehicle may be controlled in a stepless manner. In example embodiments, "stepless" may refer to a technical solution in which control of the equipment remains continuous between movement limits, or may refer to a technical solution in which the working device has many positions between movement limits.

[0068] Figure 4A and 4B Various vehicle features are illustrated according to an example embodiment. The mining vehicle features shown may be viewed as space constraints for the mining vehicle 400 . Figure 4A and 4B The mining vehicle in the example of includes structural body components, such as a first body and a second body. The first body may include a front carrier in a forward travel direction, and the second body may include a rear carrier following the front carrier in the forward travel direction. The first body and the second body may be coupled via an articulated joint. Therefore, when the mining vehicle turns, the first body and the second body may move relative to each other. In the following, the first body is referred to as the front body, and the second body is referred to as the rear body.

[0069] Figure 4A The mining vehicle 400 is disclosed to have a rear body 416, a front body 418 and a working device 420, such as a bucket. In another example embodiment, the mining vehicle 400 may have only a single body. The rear body 416 and the front body 418 may be movable relative to each other via a hinge point 422.

[0070] For route determination purposes, the mining vehicle 400 may have different spatial constraints for different parts or sections of the mining vehicle 400, such as one or more of the following: - Minimum height of rear body box 402 - Minimum height of rear cab: 406 - Minimum height of front body box 408 - Minimum height of front body bucket 414 - Maximum height of front body bucket 412 - Maximum bulge of rear body box 404 - Maximum bulge of rear body cab 424 - Maximum front body bulge 410 - Rear body width 436 - Front body bucket width 438 - Front body width 440 - Rear body length 426 - Front body length 428 - Front body bucket length 430 - Rear body cab length 432 - Rear body cab width 434

[0071] When using information about the spatial constraints of the mining vehicle, it is possible to determine which routes the mining vehicle can and cannot travel in the tunnel system from a starting position to an end position. For example, the height of the rear body of the mining vehicle can be lower than the rear body cab portion. This means that the rear body can travel closer to the pit wall than the rear body cab portion. Similarly, when considering the mobility of the working device of the mining vehicle, the working device can be rotated, for example in a horizontal plane, to a position that facilitates traveling through a curved section in the tunnel system.

[0072] Figure 5A An example of a two-dimensional view of route planning according to an example embodiment is illustrated. Figure 5A The first stage of determining a collision-free continuous route is illustrated. In the first stage, at least a plurality of candidate routes between the starting point and the ending point can be determined using map data, a route starting point and an ending point, and different pit wall distance values. Figure 5A Two candidate routes 506, 508 for a mining vehicle between a starting location 500 and an ending location 502 are illustrated. In an example embodiment, a direction-aware A* planning algorithm may be used to find candidate routes. In a first stage, the candidate routes may be rough approximations that do not guarantee that the vehicle can travel. The first stage may be run multiple times with different pit wall distance values ​​to generate multiple route candidates for further optimization. For example, a pit wall distance value means that the route cannot enter within a specified distance from the pit wall.

[0073] Figure 5B Another example of a two-dimensional view of route planning according to an example embodiment is illustrated. Figure 5BThe second stage of the determination of the collision-free continuous route is illustrated. In the second stage, at least one of the plurality of candidate routes may be improved using at least map data associated with the pit system and at least vehicle information including kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the main moving body portion of the mining vehicle and the movable working device of the mining vehicle, while satisfying the kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the vehicle and the movable working device of the vehicle. For example, the improvement may include at least one of the following: optimizing the route to maximize at least one key performance indicator as a reward function, minimize arrival time, minimize energy consumption, minimize movement or steering effort, maximize distance to known obstacles, etc. For example, the second stage may consider the acceleration and deceleration capabilities and maximum steering speed of the mining vehicle. The second stage may also check whether the route avoids obstacles by comparing the body envelope with the pit bottom details at that location in the map data. In addition, the second stage may include deforming and optimizing the route spline until the candidate route satisfies the drivability constraints and mining vehicle restrictions. Then, a candidate route 510 may be selected from the at least one improved candidate route as a collision-free continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0074] Figure 6 A visualization example of a mining vehicle 600 navigating a curve in a tunnel system is illustrated according to an example embodiment. The mining vehicle 600 may include a first body (e.g., rear body) 602, a second body (e.g., front body) 604, and a work device 608 connected to a boom or arm 606. Reference numerals 602, 612, and 614 illustrate various envelopes required by various parts of the mining vehicle 600 when navigating through a planned route. In general, the envelope represents the space required by the mining vehicle 600 at an associated route point. The route point or another reference point dependent on the route point may be used as a reference for the envelope. The route point or reference point may be a center point of the vehicle (or vehicle portion) around which the envelope is generated (based on vehicle dimension data and vehicle status).

[0075] A set of envelopes in a pit model may be visualized to represent the trajectory of a planned route for a vehicle as it travels through the route points. This may include or refer to a visualization of the trajectory based on the set of envelopes and (and mapped to) a display of a visualization of the relevant pit portion based on the pit (or environment) model data. Thus, the space required by a vehicle at a set of route points ahead along a route may be illustrated to facilitate, for example, proactive monitoring and control of the vehicle before the vehicle reaches a given route point, or to simulate a planned route without using a mining vehicle to travel through the route. Envelopes 610 and 612 represent the space required for the rear body 602. Envelope 614 represents the space required for the front body 604. Envelope 616 represents the space required for the work device 608.

[0076] Figure 7 An example of a device 700 configured to practice one or more example embodiments is illustrated. The device 700 may include, for example, a server, a controller workstation, a mobile unit (such as a mobile cellular device or other type of mobile communication device), a vehicle onboard control device, or other appropriately configured data processing device configured to implement the functions described herein. Although the device 700 is illustrated as a single device, it should be understood that the functions of the device 700 may be distributed across multiple devices where applicable.

[0077] The device 700 may include at least one processor 702. The at least one processor 702 may include, for example, one or more of various processing devices or processor circuits, such as, for example, a coprocessor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing circuit with or without an accompanying DSP, or various other processing devices including integrated circuits, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a hardware accelerator, a dedicated computer chip, etc.

[0078] The device 700 may also include at least one memory 704. The at least one memory 704 may be configured to store, for example, computer program code, such as operating system software and application software. The at least one memory 704 may include one or more volatile memory devices, one or more non-volatile memory devices, or a combination thereof. For example, the at least one memory 704 may be implemented as a magnetic storage device (such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, etc.), an optical magnetic storage device, or a semiconductor memory (such as a mask ROM, a PROM (programmable ROM), an EPROM (erasable PROM), a flash ROM, a RAM (random access memory), etc.).

[0079] The device 700 may also include a communication interface 708, which is configured to enable the device 700 to transmit information to other devices and / or receive information from other devices. In one example, the device 700 can use the communication interface 708 to transmit or receive signaling information and data according to at least one data communication or cellular communication protocol. The communication interface 708 can be configured to provide at least one wireless signal transceiver device (wireless radio), such as, for example, a 3GPP mobile broadband connection (such as 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G, etc.), or can be configured to provide a wired connection.

[0080] The device may further include a display 710 or an interface to which a display may be connected. The device may further include an input device 712 for receiving user input, such as a keyboard, a mouse, etc.

[0081] When the device 700 is configured to implement a certain function, some components and / or multiple components of the device 700, such as the at least one processor 702 and / or the at least one memory 704, may be configured to implement the function. In addition, when the at least one processor 702 is configured to implement a certain function, the function may be implemented using a program code 706 included in, for example, the at least one memory 704.

[0082] The functions described herein may be performed at least in part by one or more computer program product components (such as software components). According to one embodiment, the device may include a processor or processor circuit, such as a microcontroller, which is configured by program code when executed to perform embodiments of the operations and functions described herein. Program code 706 is provided as an example of instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor 702, cause the device to operate. Alternatively or additionally, the functions described herein may be performed at least in part by one or more hardware logic components. For example, but not by way of limitation, exemplary types of hardware logic components that may be used include field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on chips (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and graphics processing units (GPUs).

[0083] The device 700 may be configured to perform or cause to be performed any aspect of the method described herein. In addition, the computer program may include instructions that, when executed, cause the device to perform any aspect of the method described herein. The computer program may be stored on a computer-readable medium. In addition, the device 700 may include means for performing any aspect of the method described herein. In one example, the device includes the at least one processor 702, the at least one memory 704, the at least one memory 704 including program code 706 (instructions), which, when executed by the at least one processor 702, cause the device 700 to perform the method. In general, the computer program instructions may be executed on a device that provides a general processing function. Thus, the method may be computer-implemented, for example based on an algorithm executable by a general processing function, an example of which is the at least one processor 702. The device may include a transmitting and / or receiving device, for example one or more radio transmitters or receivers, which may be coupled to or configured to be coupled to one or more antennas, or a transmitter or receiver with a wired communication interface.

[0084] In an example embodiment, the device 700 can be configured to: obtain map data associated with a tunnel system of an underground worksite; obtain a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in the tunnel system; obtain mining vehicle information, the mining vehicle information including at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with structural body components and a movable work device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility limits of the movable work device; and determine a collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle between the starting position and the ending position, the collision-free continuous route having at least one collision-free position for the movable work device within the mobility limits of the movable work device, based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the mining vehicle information.

[0085] In an example embodiment, the device 700 may be configured to control visualization of the determined collision-free continuous route.

[0086] In an example embodiment, the apparatus 700 may be configured to control a mining vehicle to travel through the determined collision-free continuous route.

[0087] In an example embodiment, the device 700 can be configured to: determine multiple candidate routes between the start and end points using at least map data, route start and end points, and different pit wall distance values; improve at least one candidate route of the multiple candidate routes using at least map data and mining vehicle information while satisfying kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle and the movable work device of the mining vehicle; and select a candidate route from the at least one improved candidate route as a collision-free continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0088] In an example embodiment, the apparatus 700 may be configured to determine a collision-free continuous route for a mining vehicle prior to commencing the collision-free continuous route.

[0089] One or more of the above examples and embodiments may implement a solution in which the mining vehicle knows what is about to happen based on a pre-planned collision-free continuous route. In addition, one or more of the above examples and embodiments may implement a solution in which the working device can be moved at a desired location on the route. In addition, one or more of the above examples and embodiments may implement a solution in which the mining vehicle can freely transition on the route on a portion of the route where more than one position of the working device is valid. In addition, the mining vehicle does not have to change the position of the working device if it is more beneficial to minimize movement. In addition, one or more of the above examples and embodiments may implement a solution in which the mining vehicle is always able to drive through each bend and even sharp bends on the first attempt, thereby avoiding damage to the mining vehicle or its components and being able to travel faster in the tunnel system. Thus, for example, the operator of the mining vehicle does not need to (his / her) decide on his own to stop the vehicle and move the boom or its components of the vehicle to another position. In addition, one or more of the above examples and embodiments may enable the use of larger mining vehicles in smaller tunnels.

[0090] Any range or device value given herein may be expanded or altered without losing the effect sought. In addition, any embodiment may be combined with another embodiment unless expressly prohibited.

[0091] Although the subject matter has been described with language specific to structural features and / or actions, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. On the contrary, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as examples of implementing the claims, and other equivalent features and actions are intended to fall within the scope of the claims.

[0092] It should be understood that the above benefits and advantages may relate to one embodiment, or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those embodiments that solve any or all of the problems described, or those embodiments that have any or all of the benefits and advantages described. It should also be understood that the items mentioned "a" may refer to one or more of these items.

[0093] The steps or operations of the methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order, or may be performed simultaneously where appropriate. In addition, individual step blocks may be deleted from any of the methods without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the above embodiments may be combined with aspects of any other embodiment described to form further embodiments without losing the effects sought.

[0094] The term "comprising" is used herein to mean including the identified methods, step blocks or elements, but these step blocks or elements do not include an exclusive list and the method or apparatus may contain additional step blocks or elements.

[0095] As used in this application, the term "circuitry" may refer to one or more or all of the following: (a) hardware circuit implementations only (e.g., implemented only in analog and / or digital circuitry) and (b) a combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (as applicable): (i) a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, and (ii) any portion of a hardware processor (including a digital signal processor), software, and memory with software that work together to enable a device such as a mobile phone or server to perform various functions, and (c) hardware circuitry and / or processors, such as a microprocessor or a portion of a microprocessor, that require software (e.g., firmware) to operate, but the software may not be present when it is not required for operation. This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of the term in this application (including in any claims).

[0096] It should be understood that the above description is given as an example only, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above description, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of the exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity or with reference to one or more separate embodiments, those skilled in the art may make many modifications to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to determine a route plan for a mining vehicle, the mining vehicle comprising a structural body member and a movable working device, the apparatus comprising: at least one processor; as well as at least one memory, the at least one memory comprising computer program code, The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the device to perform at least the following operations through the at least one processor: obtaining map data associated with a tunnel system of an underground construction site; obtaining a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in the tunnel system; obtaining mining vehicle information, the mining vehicle information including at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the structural body members of the mining vehicle and the movable working device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility restrictions of the movable working device; Prior to commencing a collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle between the starting position and the ending position, determining the collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the mining vehicle information, the collision-free continuous route having at least one collision-free position for the movable working device along the collision-free continuous route within the mobility limit of the movable working device; as well as The mining vehicle is controlled to travel through the determined collision-free continuous route.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, via the at least one processor: Controls the visualization of the determined collision-free continuous path.

3. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, via the at least one processor: determining a plurality of candidate routes between the starting point and the ending point using at least the map data, a route starting point and a route ending point, and different pit wall distance values; using at least the map data and the mining vehicle information to refine at least one candidate route of the plurality of candidate routes while satisfying the kinematic constraints and the spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle and the movable work device of the mining vehicle; as well as Based on at least one criterion, a candidate route is selected from the improved at least one candidate route as the collision-free continuous route.

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mobility restriction of the movable working device restricts the horizontal mobility and / or the vertical mobility of the movable working device.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mobility restriction of the movable working device sets at least two allowable preset positions for the movable working device.

6. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-5, wherein the mobility limit of the movable working device allows the movable working device to be infinitely movable within the mobility limit.

7. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the space constraint information associated with the mining vehicle comprises space constraint information individually for a first body and a second body of the mining vehicle.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the movable working device comprises at least one boom or bucket.

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the starting position and / or the ending position comprises a direction and / or an orientation of the mining vehicle.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the starting position and / or the ending position comprises the position of each structural body member of the mining vehicle and / or the working device.

11. A mining vehicle comprising an apparatus according to any one of claims 1-10.

12. A method for determining a route plan for a mining vehicle, the mining vehicle comprising a structural body member and a movable working device, the method comprising: obtaining map data associated with a tunnel system of an underground construction site; obtaining a starting position and an ending position of a mining vehicle configured to operate in the tunnel system; obtaining mining vehicle information, the mining vehicle information including at least kinematic constraints and spatial constraints associated with the structural body members of the mining vehicle and the movable working device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility restrictions of the movable working device; Prior to commencing a collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle between the starting position and the ending position, determining the collision-free continuous route of the mining vehicle based at least in part on the map data, the starting position and the ending position, and the mining vehicle information, the collision-free continuous route having at least one collision-free position for the movable working device along the collision-free continuous route within the mobility limit of the movable working device; as well as The mining vehicle is controlled to travel through the determined collision-free continuous route.

13. A computer program comprising instructions for causing a device to perform the method according to claim 12.

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