Sensor system and method for mining vehicle

Abstract

Example embodiments provide a sensor system in a mining vehicle. The sensor system includes: at least one sensor configured to scan an environment of the mining vehicle; at least one computing device configured to execute a plurality of applications; a management switch connected to the at least one sensor and the at least one computing device, wherein the management switch is connected to the at least one computing device via a first port of the management switch configured to forward data for a first application of the plurality of applications and via at least one second port configured to forward data for at least one second application of the plurality of applications, and wherein the management switch is configured to transmit measurement data of the surroundings from the at least one sensor to the first port and to transmit a copy of the measurement data to the at least one second port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates generally to mining vehicles. In particular, some example embodiments of the present application relate to a sensor system of a mining vehicle, the sensor system being configured to provide measurement data from at least one sensor to a plurality of applications via a management switch. Background Art

[0002] A mining vehicle may have multiple applications that use sensors for different tasks. Each application may receive data from a separate sensor configured based on the requirements of the application. Summary of the invention

[0003] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] Example embodiments may enable data received from one or more sensors configured to scan a surrounding environment of a mining vehicle to be sent to a plurality of applications. At least one computing device configured to execute the plurality of applications and the one or more sensors are connected via a management switch. When the plurality of applications receive data from the one or more sensors via the management switch, monitoring the surrounding environment of the mining vehicle may be implemented more cost-effectively. Thus, the applications may be executed as isolated processes, and delays for receiving data may be minimized between different applications.

[0005] According to a first aspect, a sensor system in a mining vehicle is provided. The sensor system comprises: at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being configured to scan a surrounding environment of the mining vehicle; at least one computing device, the at least one computing device being configured to execute a plurality of applications; a management switch, the management switch being connected to the at least one sensor and the at least one computing device, wherein the management switch is connected to the at least one computing device via a first port and at least one second port, the first port being configured to forward data for a first application of the plurality of applications, the at least one second port being configured to forward data for at least one second application of the plurality of applications; and

[0006] The management switch is configured to send measurement data of the surrounding environment from the at least one sensor to the first port, and to send a copy of the measurement data to the at least one second port.

[0007] In an embodiment, the at least one sensor comprises a light detection and ranging sensor.

[0008] In one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor comprises a radio detection and ranging sensor.

[0009] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor comprises a time-of-flight camera.

[0010] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the plurality of applications comprises at least one vehicle safety application.

[0011] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor is configured to provide measurement data based on parameter settings of a vehicle safety application.

[0012] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the plurality of applications comprises an application configured for at least one of collision avoidance, proximity detection on a working area of ​​a boom of a mining vehicle, obstacle detection, localization or mapping.

[0013] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor is configured to scan the surroundings below the attachment point of the boom of the mining vehicle.

[0014] According to a second aspect, there is provided a mining vehicle comprising the sensor system according to the first aspect and wherein the at least one sensor is mounted to a front side of a carrier of the mining vehicle in a forward driving direction of the mining vehicle.

[0015] In an embodiment, the front side of the vehicle comprises at least one mounting slot configured to form a recess, wherein the at least one sensor is mounted within the recess, and wherein the recess has angled sides to enable the at least one sensor to scan at least an area of ​​the mining vehicle in a forward driving direction.

[0016] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the at least one mounting slot is located in at least one side of the front of the vehicle and the mounting slot has an angled side extending to at least one side of the mining vehicle so that the at least one sensor can scan an area located by the at least one side of the mining vehicle.

[0017] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the mining vehicle comprises at least one boom, and the at least one sensor is mounted in the vehicle below an attachment point of the boom.

[0018] In an embodiment, additionally or alternatively, the at least one sensor is mounted to a bumper of the mining vehicle.

[0019] According to a third aspect, a method for delivering measurement data of a surrounding environment of a mining vehicle is provided. The method comprises: configuring a first port of a management switch for a first application of a plurality of applications stored on at least one computing device; configuring at least one second port to at least one second application of the plurality of applications stored on the at least one computing device; sending, by the management switch, measurement data received from at least one sensor configured to scan the surrounding environment of the mining vehicle to the first port; and sending, by the management switch, a copy of the measurement data to the at least one second port.

[0020] According to a fourth aspect, a computer program is provided, the computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to the third aspect.

[0021] By referring to the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as they become better understood. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of example embodiments and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate example embodiments and together with the description help explain the principles of example embodiments. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 An example of a sensor system in a mining vehicle according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0024] Figure 2 shows a partial view of a mining vehicle including multiple booms and example placement of sensors in the mining vehicle according to an example embodiment;

[0025] Figure 3 shows a partial view of a mining vehicle from the side of the mining vehicle and example placement of sensors in the mining vehicle according to example embodiments;

[0026] Figure 4 shows an example of a partial view of a mining vehicle and an example of placement of a plurality of sensors in a mining vehicle according to an example embodiment;

[0027] Figure 5 shows an example of a field of view of a sensor mounted to a mounting slot in a lower front corner section of a mining vehicle according to an example embodiment; and

[0028] Figure 6 An example of a method for delivering measurement data of the surroundings of a mining vehicle according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0029] In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Reference will now 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 this example and is not intended to represent the only form in which this example may be configured or utilized. This specification describes the functions of the example and possible sequences of operations for configuring and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be implemented by different examples.

[0031] A single mining vehicle may have multiple subsystems that use data from different sensors. The multiple subsystems may include different applications, for example, for monitoring the surroundings of the mining vehicle.

[0032] If all applications have dedicated sensors, the bill of materials for the mining vehicle may become large and the manufacturing of the mining vehicle may become expensive. The bill of materials may include a detailed list of raw materials, subassemblies, intermediate assemblies, subcomponents, parts, and corresponding quantities required to manufacture the mining vehicle associated with corresponding prices. In addition, the sensors may be provided at different mounting locations, which may be uncommon in a mining vehicle. It may be difficult to find mounting locations for sensors that match all purposes required for multiple applications.

[0033] In an example embodiment, the management switch may be connected to at least one sensor. In addition, at least one computing device may be configured to execute multiple applications. The at least one sensor may be configured by the at least one computing device based on parameter settings of a first application in the multiple applications. The at least one sensor may be configured to send measurement data of the first application via the management switch. The management switch may also be configured to send a copy of the measurement data to the at least one computing device for at least one second application in the multiple applications. Thus, other applications may be configured to eavesdrop on data sent from the at least one sensor for the first application.

[0034] Because measurement data from the same sensor is received by multiple applications, the bill of materials for the mining vehicle can be reduced. Furthermore, the complexity of the installation required for the functionality of the multiple applications can be reduced, including the number of sensors, current feeds and wiring required. Thus, simplicity of the services provided by the multiple applications and a reduction in the number of failure points in the required installation can be achieved.

[0035] In an example embodiment, the at least one sensor may be placed at the front side of the vehicle of the mining vehicle in the forward driving direction of the mining vehicle. For example, the at least one sensor may be placed in at least one corner section of the vehicle of the mining vehicle. The at least one corner section of the vehicle of the mining vehicle may include, for example, a lower front corner of the mining vehicle. The corner section may include, for example, an area on the vehicle located at or near a corner of the vehicle, such as an edge of a side of the vehicle or a corner of a side. A lower corner or corner section may refer to a corner located closer to the bottom of the vehicle than the top of the vehicle. The lower front corner may include, for example, a corner section of the vehicle located below the boom of the mining vehicle. The vehicle may include equipment for moving the mining vehicle, such as a motor and wheels. The position at the lower front corner section may enable the at least one sensor to scan the surrounding environment at an area suitable for providing measurement data for a plurality of different applications. For example, the at least one sensor located at the lower front corner section may enable the sensor to be configured to scan the surrounding environment at an area including an area in front of the mining vehicle in the forward driving direction of the mining vehicle for collision avoidance purposes and at the same time at an area covering both sides of the mining vehicle and the front of the mining vehicle for proximity detection purposes. The different applications may include one or more vehicle safety applications, such as applications for collision avoidance or proximity detection on the working area of ​​at least one boom of the mining vehicle. The vehicle safety applications may also be referred to as safety function related applications. Proximity detection may include detecting an object or a person entering the working area of ​​the boom. The multiple applications may also include one or more vehicle non-safety critical applications, such as applications for simultaneous positioning and mapping systems or non-critical obstacle detection for autonomous path planning preparation. The vehicle non-safety critical applications may also be referred to as non-safety function related applications.

[0036] Figure 1 An example of a sensor system 100 in a mining vehicle is shown. In an embodiment, the sensor system 100 may comprise a mining vehicle. The mining vehicle may be, for example, a rock drill, a bolter or a loader.

[0037] The sensor system 100 may include at least one sensor 102 configured to scan the surroundings of a mining vehicle. The mining vehicle may be a mobile mining vehicle, and the at least one sensor 102 may be configured to scan the surroundings along the path of the mining vehicle. In an embodiment, the at least one sensor 102 may include a light detection and ranging (lidar) sensor. The lidar sensor may be configured to determine the distance by aiming a laser at an object and measuring the time for reflected light to return to a receiver of the lidar sensor. In an embodiment, the at least one sensor 102 may include a radio detection and ranging (radar) sensor. The radar sensor may be configured to transmit electromagnetic energy to an object and observe the echo returned from the object. In an embodiment, the at least one sensor 102 may include a time of flight (ToF) camera. The ToF camera may be configured to determine the distance between the camera and the object by measuring the round trip time of an artificial light signal provided by a laser or a light emitting diode (LED).

[0038] The sensor system 100 may include at least one computing device 106. The at least one computing device 106 may be configured to execute multiple applications. The multiple applications may be executed by the at least one computing device 106 as isolated processes. Process isolation is a set of different hardware and software technologies designed to protect each process from other processes on an operating system. Therefore, the at least one computing device 106 may be configured to enable different applications to function independently of each other. In an embodiment, at least some of the multiple applications may be stored and executed on the same computing device 106. In an embodiment, the sensor system 100 may include multiple computing devices 106, and at least some of the multiple applications may be stored and executed on different computing devices 106 (such as a first computing device and a second computing device).

[0039] In an embodiment, the plurality of applications includes at least one vehicle safety application. Typically, vehicle safety applications may be configured to avoid human injury, human death, damage to property, financial loss, damage to the natural environment, or destructive system effects. Vehicle safety applications may be designed to ensure safe use of systems involving hazards, such as mobile mining vehicles. Vehicle safety applications may include, for example, at least one of a collision avoidance application or a proximity detection application.

[0040] Applications for avoiding collisions may also be referred to as forward collision warnings or collision mitigation. Collision avoidance applications may be designed to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision. For example, a collision avoidance application may be configured to monitor the speed of a mining vehicle, the speed of an object in front of the mining vehicle, and the distance between the mining vehicle and an object in the path of the mining vehicle. Objects may be detected within the field of view of a sensor configured to scan the surroundings of the mining vehicle. The data received from the sensor may be processed by the application. Thereafter, a controller may be configured to send a signal to a control system of the mining vehicle to avoid the obstacle or to intervene in a hardwired manner to avoid the obstacle. For example, if an obstacle detection application and an active planning system of the mining vehicle are unable to circumvent a detected obstacle or risk of collision, the collision avoidance application may be configured to intervene.

[0041] Proximity detection applications may be configured to monitor objects, such as people, that are within the area of ​​one or more booms of a mining vehicle. Proximity detection may be used, for example, to detect objects when the mining vehicle has stopped but is performing an operation. Thus, a working area may be monitored so that, for example, the boom of a mining vehicle may be safely operated. The working area may include, for example, areas within the reach of the boom, such as below, behind, and beside the boom.

[0042] The plurality of applications may also include one or more vehicle non-safety critical applications. The vehicle non-safety critical applications may be configured to increase the safety of the mining vehicle or to implement automated functions such as autonomous driving. Although the vehicle non-safety critical applications may be configured to contribute to the safety layer by proactively reducing the risk of entering a dangerous situation, the vehicle non-safety critical applications may not be considered as safety critical intervention systems that react to an imminent danger. Therefore, the vehicle non-safety critical applications may be considered as non-safety critical functions. The vehicle non-safety critical applications may include, for example, at least one of a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) application or an obstacle detection application.

[0043] Obstacle detection applications can be used, for example, for autonomous path planning preparation. Thus, obstacle detection can be used for non-critical tasks, such as mapping the surroundings of a mining vehicle to enable the mining vehicle to drive autonomously or semi-autonomously.

[0044] The simultaneous localization and mapping application can be configured to build or update a map of an unknown environment while tracking the position of the mining vehicle within the map. The map can be configured by the application using several algorithms based on concepts in computational geometry and computer vision, such as particle filters, extended Kalman filters, or covariance intersection.

[0045] The sensor system 100 may also include a switch, such as a management switch 104. The management switch may be a configurable switch device. The management switch 104 may include a plurality of ports. Each port may be configured to, for example, enable monitoring and control of traffic by the management switch. The at least one sensor 102 and the at least one computing device 106 may be connected to the management switch 104, for example, via the plurality of ports. Thus, the at least one computing device 106 may be configured to receive data from the at least one sensor 102 via the management switch 104. A port may be configured for a specific application in the plurality of applications.

[0046] The management switch 104 may be configured for port mirroring. Typically, port mirroring may be used on a network switch to send a copy of a network packet seen on a specified port (source port) to other specified ports (destination ports). A network switch is configured to forward packets between devices. The management switch 104 is an example of a network switch. Port mirroring may enable the monitoring and / or analysis of packets sent to a particular port by applications associated with other specified ports. The management switch 104 may include multiple (destination) ports connected to the same computing device 106, the ports being configured to forward packets of separate applications executed on the same computing device 106. Alternatively, the management switch 104 may include multiple (destination) ports connected to multiple computing devices 106, the ports being configured for different applications executed on the multiple computing devices 106. The management switch 104 may include at least a first port configured to forward packets to a first application in the multiple applications and at least a second port configured to forward packets to at least one second application in the multiple applications. The packet may include measurement data from the at least one sensor 102. Instead of a managed switch, the sensor system 100 may include another type of switch, such as an unmanaged switch. The unmanaged switch may be pre-configured for port mirroring as described above.

[0047] The first application may include certain parameter settings for scanning the surrounding environment. The at least one computing device 106 may be configured to configure the at least one sensor 102 based on the parameter settings of the first application. The first application may include a vehicle safety application. The first application may include, for example, a collision avoidance application. Configuring the at least one sensor 102 based on the parameter settings of the first application can achieve that the configuration of the at least one sensor 102 is not mixed by different settings of multiple applications. For example, for safety reasons, such as for the correct functioning of a vehicle safety application, certain settings may need to be made on the at least one sensor 102. The parameter settings may include, for example, at least one of the angular resolution of the at least one sensor 102, the range resolution of the at least one sensor 102, the measurement rate of the at least one sensor 102, the range of the at least one sensor 102, the field of view of the at least one sensor 102, or the measurement mode of the at least one sensor 102.

[0048] In an embodiment, the management switch 104 may be configured to forward the measurement data received from the at least one sensor 102 to a first port configured for a first application. The management switch 104 may also be configured to send a copy of the measurement data to a port configured for at least one second application in the plurality of applications. In an embodiment, the management switch 104 may be configured to send a copy of the measurement data using the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). UDP is a message-oriented transport layer protocol suitable for time-sensitive applications. UDP enables applications to not have to wait for packets that are delayed due to retransmissions, because waiting for packets is not an option in real-time systems, such as in security applications. Alternatively, the management switch 104 may be configured to use any technology that supports multicasting. Multicasting refers to group communication in which data transmissions are addressed to a group of destination devices at the same time. For example, the management switch 104 may be configured to broadcast measurement data. Broadcasting is a method of addressing / transmitting messages to all available devices in a network at the same time.

[0049] The at least one computing device 106 may include at least one processor 108. The at least one processor 108 may include, for example, one or more of a variety of processing devices, 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, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a neural processing unit (NPU), a hardware accelerator, a dedicated computer chip, etc.

[0050] The at least one computing device 106 may also include at least one memory 110. The memory 110 may be configured to store, for example, computer program code 112, such as operating system software and one or more application software. The memory 110 may include one or more volatile memory devices, one or more non-volatile memory devices, and / or a combination thereof. For example, the memory may be embodied as a magnetic storage device (such as a hard drive, 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.).

[0051] The computing device 106 may also include a communication interface configured to enable the computing device 106 to send information to other devices and / or receive information from other devices. The device may include, for example, the at least one sensor 102 configured to scan the surrounding environment of the mining vehicle, such as one or more lidar sensors. The device may also include a management switch 104. The communication interface may be configured to provide at least one wireless radio connection, such as a 3GPP mobile broadband connection (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G). However, the communication interface may be configured to provide one or more other types of connections, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection, such as, for example, standardized by the IEEE 802.11 series or the Wi-Fi Alliance; a short-range wireless network connection, such as, for example, Bluetooth, NFC (near field communication) or RFID connection; a wired connection, such as, for example, a local area network (LAN) connection, a universal serial bus (USB) connection, or an optical network connection, etc.; or a wired Internet connection. The communication interface may include or be configured to be coupled to at least one antenna to send and / or receive radio frequency signals. One or more of the various types of connections may also be implemented as a separate communication interface, which may be coupled or configured to couple to multiple antennas.

[0052] The at least one computing device 106 may include a user interface. The user interface may include at least one of an input device or an output device. The input device may take various forms, such as a keyboard, a touch screen, or one or more embedded control buttons. The output device may, for example, include a display, a tactile device, and / or a speaker. The at least one computing device 106 may be configured to output data about the surroundings of the mining vehicle to an operator via the output device. The data may be provided as at least one of a visual signal, a tactile feedback, or an audible signal. Alternatively or additionally, the computing device 106 may be configured to output data to an autonomous driving system of the mining vehicle. The data about the surroundings of the mining vehicle may include data about safety, such as information about obstacles and / or instructions to avoid obstacles.

[0053] The computing device 106 may include, for example, a server device, a client device, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, etc. In an embodiment, the computing device 106 may include a control unit of a mining vehicle, such as a control unit of an autonomous driving system. Although the at least one computing device 106 is shown as a single device, it should be understood that the functionality of the at least one computing device 106 may be distributed to multiple devices where applicable.

[0054] When the at least one computing device 106 is configured to implement a function, a component and / or multiple components of the computing device 106 (e.g., the at least one processor 108 and / or the memory 110) can be configured to implement the function. In addition, when the at least one processor 108 is configured to implement a function, the function can be implemented using, for example, program code 112 included in the memory 110. Implementing the function can include, for example, executing at least one application of the plurality of applications. Additionally or alternatively, implementing the function can include configuring one or more ports of the management switch 104. Additionally or alternatively, implementing the function can include configuring the at least one sensor 102.

[0055] 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 an embodiment, the computing device 106 includes a processor 108 or a processor circuit, such as a microcontroller, which is configured by program code 112 when executed to perform embodiments of the described operations and functions. 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 limited to, illustrative 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), graphics processing units (GPUs), neural processing units (NPUs), and tensor processing units (TPUs).

[0056] The computing device 106 includes means for performing at least one method described herein. In one example, the means includes the at least one processor 108, and the at least one memory 110 includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor 108, cause the computing device 106 to perform the method.

[0057] Figure 2 A partial view of a mining vehicle including multiple booms and an example placement of sensors in the mining vehicle according to an example embodiment is shown. The sensor may be, for example, the at least one sensor 102 of the sensor system 100 .

[0058] A mining vehicle may have one or more structural body members that at least partially block the field of view of a sensor configured to scan the surroundings of the mining vehicle. The structural body members of the mining vehicle may include, for example, a boom, a bucket, a carrier, etc. For example, the mining vehicle may be a drilling rig. The mining vehicle may include one or more booms attached to the carrier of the mining vehicle. If the sensor is mounted in the boom, the sensor will be exposed to harsh conditions and vibrations. Moreover, placing the sensor in the boom causes the sensor to move with the boom. Since the sensor will not be static relative to the drilling rig, the movement of the sensor with the boom may introduce calibration and accuracy issues. In addition, if the sensor is placed above the carrier of the mining vehicle, the field of view may be at least occasionally obstructed by one or more booms, so that the sensor cannot monitor the area below the boom. Although the boom is used as an example, the field of view may also be limited by other structural body members, and the example solutions described herein are also applicable to this case.

[0059] The sensor 102 may be mounted, for example, to the front side of the vehicle in the forward moving direction of the mining vehicle. In an embodiment, the sensor 102 may be mounted to the vehicle of the mining vehicle 202 below the boom 204. The sensor 102 may be disposed, for example, below the attachment point where at least one boom is attached to the vehicle. For example, the sensor 102 may be attached to the bumper 206 of the mining vehicle 202. In an embodiment, the sensor 102 may be disposed, for example, at at least one lower front corner section of the mining vehicle 202. In an embodiment, the sensor 102 may be disposed at two lower front corner sections of the mining vehicle 202. The lower front corner section may include the bumper 206 of the mining vehicle 202. The sensor 102 may be disposed, for example, on at least one side of the bumper 206. The lower front corner section may include a section in the front of the vehicle. The lower front corner section may be located, for example, at least one of: below the horizontal centerline of the front of the vehicle or below the attachment point of the at least one boom. Figure 3 A partial view of a mining vehicle 202 from the side of the mining vehicle 202 and example placement of sensors 102 in the mining vehicle 202 are shown according to example embodiments.

[0060] The mining vehicle 202 may include a mounting slot 200 for the sensor 102. The mounting slot 200 may be provided, for example, at a bumper 206 of the mining vehicle. The mounting slot 200 may be formed to provide a recess configured to fit the sensor 102 within the recess. For example, the sensor 102 may be mounted within the recess such that it is completely within the contour of the bumper 206. Thus, the sensor 102 may be protected from impacts, such as those caused by movement of the boom 204 or collision with a pit wall. The mounting slot 200 may be open toward a forward driving direction of the mining vehicle 202. Thus, the sensor 102 may be configured to scan an area in front of the mining vehicle 202. The recess may also have angled sides to enable the at least one sensor 102 to scan at least an area in front of the mining vehicle 202 while mounted within a bumper or vehicle.

[0061] The angled sides may enable the field of view of the sensor 102 to be extended. The area in front of the mining vehicle 202 may include up to 180 degrees measured from one side of the mining vehicle 202 to the other side (e.g., relative to Figure 5 The area in front of the mining vehicle 202 may include an area below and behind the boom 204 in the scanning direction of the at least one sensor 102 in the forward driving direction of the mining vehicle. Thus, positioning the sensor 102 in the front lower corner section, such as on the side of the bumper 206 of the mining vehicle, may enable the sensor 102 to detect obstacles or people behind, below, or between the boom 204 extending in the forward driving direction of the mining vehicle 202.

[0062] The angled side may also be configured to provide an unobstructed view to at least one side of the mining vehicle 202 in addition to the area in front of the mining vehicle 202. In an embodiment, the mounting slot 200 may be configured to provide the sensor 102 with a field of view of up to 270 degrees (e.g., from -90 to 180 degrees relative to the direction of movement 500 of the mining vehicle 202, such as Figure 5 ). Thus, the sensor 102 may also be configured to scan a side area of ​​the mining vehicle 202. The side area may be located next to a corner of the bumper 206 where the sensor 102 is mounted. The side area may include, for example, an area covering 90 degrees measured from the corner of the mining vehicle 202 to the side of the mining vehicle 202 relative to an axis 502 extending from the corner perpendicular to the direction of movement of the mining vehicle 202.

[0063] Figure 4An example of a partial view of a mining vehicle and an example of placement of a plurality of sensors in a mining vehicle according to an example embodiment is shown. The plurality of sensors may include sensors 102 of a sensor system 100. In an embodiment, the plurality of sensors may include sensors 102 mounted to two front lower corner sections of a vehicle of a mining vehicle 202. The sensors 102 may be mounted to, for example, both sides of a bumper 206. The plurality of sensors may also include at least one sensor 102 mounted to a central region of the bumper 206. The central region of the bumper may be located between the sides of the bumper 206.

[0064] In an embodiment, the mounting slot 200 may extend substantially along the entire length of the bumper 206 and provide a recess for the plurality of sensors. In addition to the plurality of sensors, the mounting slot 200 extending substantially the entire length of the bumper 206 may include, for example, a headlight of the mining vehicle 202. The mounting slot 200 may also be configured to mount other components of the mining vehicle 202 that may be susceptible to breakage due to impact. Alternatively, the mining vehicle 202 may include a separate mounting slot 200 for each sensor 102 and / or headlight or other fragile component of the mining vehicle 202. The headlight and / or other fragile components may be recessed within the mounting slot 200 so that they may be protected from impact.

[0065] When the mining vehicle is traveling, the boom may be in a straight position aligned with the attachment point in the forward driving direction of the mining vehicle, or in an elevated position above the attachment point. If the boom includes a hose, the hoses may be arranged so that they hang as little as possible. The sensor 102 may be parameterized by the at least one computing device 106 so that the sensor 102 may not react to objects above a set threshold height. Alternatively, the plurality of applications may be configured to consider only measurement data including measurements obtained below a threshold height. The set threshold height may include, for example, a scanning height corresponding to the height of the attachment point of the at least one boom 204. Alternatively, the threshold height may be set to have any value below the height of the attachment point of the boom 204. However, due to the placement of the sensor 102, the sensor 102 may be able to detect objects below the boom 204 and in front of the mining vehicle 202. By positioning the at least one sensor 102 at a lower position in the vehicle, the at least one sensor 102 may be able to provide measurement data that may be used by multiple applications configured to monitor different areas around the mining vehicle or for different purposes. The lower position may be a position at the front side of the vehicle below the roof level of the vehicle. The lower position may be located, for example, below the at least one boom or at a front lower corner section, such as at the bumper of the mining vehicle.

[0066] For example, when the field of view of the sensor 102 is not obstructed by the boom 204, the measurement data can be used by both collision avoidance and proximity detection applications. In addition, obstacles that may affect walking safety (such as people) may be located at ground level. The location of the sensor 102 may also be suitable for providing measurement data to other applications, such as, for example, simultaneous positioning and mapping applications and non-safety critical obstacle detection applications. In one embodiment, the sensor 102 located lower at the vehicle may be dedicated to one of the one or more vehicle safety applications. The mining vehicle 202 may also include one or more additional sensors located above the vehicle, such as a lidar, for mapping or positioning purposes.

[0067] By positioning the at least one sensor 102 to the vehicle below the boom, complex algorithms may not be required for the application to distinguish the boom from actual obstacles. For example, the obstacle detection application may be configured to consider everything as an obstacle, making the application simpler. Thus, the application may be configured to ignore any measurements above a set threshold height.

[0068] Figure 5 An example of a field of view of a sensor 102 mounted to a mounting slot in a lower front corner section of a mining vehicle 202 is shown in accordance with an example embodiment. The sensor 102 may be located within the mining vehicle 202 in a recess provided by a corresponding mounting slot. The mounting slot may have angled sides such that the sensor 102 may have a field of view of 0 to 180 degrees in front of the mining vehicle 202 relative to an axis 502 extending from the front corner of the mining vehicle 202 perpendicular to the forward driving direction of the mining vehicle 202. The field of view enabled for the sensor 102 by the mounting slot may also be measured relative to the forward driving direction 500 of the mining vehicle 202, covering a field of view of -90 degrees to 90 degrees. The angled sides may be formed such that the field of view of the sensor 102 may be extended further toward the side of the mining vehicle 202. For example, the field of view may extend 90 degrees relative to the axis 502 away from the forward driving direction 500 of the mining vehicle 202. Thus, the field of view of the sensor 102 mounted to the mounting slot may cover -90 to 180 degrees relative to the forward driving direction 500 of the mining vehicle 202. Furthermore, because the sensor 102 is mounted to the lower front corner section of the vehicle of the mining vehicle 102, the field of view of the sensor 102 may not be obstructed by, for example, one or more booms of the mining vehicle 202.

[0069] Figure 6 An example of a method 600 for delivering measurement data of a surrounding environment of a mining vehicle according to an example embodiment is shown. The method 600 may be implemented by the sensor system 100, for example.

[0070] At 602, the method may include configuring a first port of a management switch for a first application of a plurality of applications stored on at least one computing device. The at least one computing device may also be configured to execute the first application.

[0071] At 604, the method may include configuring at least one second port to at least one second application of the plurality of applications stored on the at least one computing device. The at least one computing device may also be configured to execute the at least one second application.

[0072] At 606 , the method may include sending, by the management switch, measurement data received from at least one sensor configured to scan a surrounding environment of the mining vehicle to the first port.

[0073] At 608, the method may include sending, by the management switch, a copy of the measurement data to the at least one second port.

[0074] It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as technology advances, the basic idea of ​​the claimed invention can be implemented in various ways. Therefore, the claimed invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above, but they may vary within the scope of the claims.

[0075] Other features of the method result directly from the functionality and parameters of the device as described in the accompanying claims and throughout the specification and are therefore not repeated here.It should be noted that one or more operations of the method may be performed in a different order.

[0076] The device may be configured to perform or cause the performance of any aspect of the method described herein. In addition, the computer program may include instructions for causing the device to perform any aspect of the method described herein when executed. In addition, a device may include means for performing any aspect of the method described herein. According to an example embodiment, the device includes at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code being configured to cause the performance of any aspect of the method when executed by the at least one processor.

[0077] Any range or device value given herein may be expanded or changed without losing the effect sought. Furthermore, unless explicitly not permitted, any embodiment may be combined with another embodiment.

[0078] 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. Instead, 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.

[0079] It should be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to embodiments that solve any or all of the problems described or embodiments that have any or all of the benefits and advantages described. It will also be understood that reference to "an" item may refer to one or more of those items.

[0080] The operation of the method described herein can be performed in any suitable order, or performed simultaneously in appropriate circumstances. In addition, without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein, individual step frames can be deleted from any method in the method. Any aspect of the above-described embodiment can be combined with any aspect of the other embodiments described to form other embodiments, without losing the effect sought.

[0081] The term "comprising" is used herein to mean including the identified methods, step blocks or elements, but such step blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list and the method or apparatus may contain additional step blocks or elements.

[0082] As used in this application, the term "circuitry" may refer to one or more or all of the following: (a) hardware circuit implementations only (such as implementations in analog and / or digital circuits only), and (b) combinations of hardware circuitry and software, such as (where applicable): (i) a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry with software / firmware, and (ii) a hardware processor (including a digital signal processor) with software, any portion of software and memory that work together to enable a device (such as a mobile phone or server) to perform various functions, and (c) a hardware circuit and / or processor that requires software (e.g., firmware) to operate, such as a microprocessor or a portion of a microprocessor, but where software is not required for operation, the software may not be present. This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application (including any claims).

[0083] As a further example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers implementations of only a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or its) accompanying software and / or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in a server, cellular network device or other computing or network device.

[0084] 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 exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art may make many changes to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A sensor system in a mining vehicle, the sensor system comprising: at least one sensor configured to scan a surrounding environment of the mining vehicle to provide measurement data of the surrounding environment; at least one computing device configured to execute a plurality of applications; a management switch configured for port mirroring, the management switch being connected to the at least one sensor and the at least one computing device, wherein the management switch is connected to the at least one computing device via a first port of the management switch and via at least one second port, the first port being configured to forward data for a first application of the plurality of applications, the at least one second port being configured to forward data for at least one second application of the plurality of applications; and The management switch is configured to send the measurement data of the surrounding environment from the at least one sensor to the first port, and to send a copy of the measurement data to the at least one second port using port mirroring.

2. The sensor system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one sensor includes a light detection and ranging sensor.

3. The sensor system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The at least one sensor comprises a radio detection and ranging sensor.

4. The sensor system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The at least one sensor comprises a time-of-flight camera.

5. The sensor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The plurality of applications includes at least one vehicle safety application.

6. The sensor system according to claim 5, wherein: The at least one sensor is configured to provide the measurement data based on parameter settings of the vehicle safety application.

7. The sensor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The plurality of applications includes an application configured for at least one of collision avoidance, proximity detection on a working area of ​​a boom of a mining vehicle, obstacle detection, localization, or mapping.

8. The sensor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The at least one sensor is configured to scan the surrounding environment below a threshold height based on an attachment point configuration of a boom of the mining vehicle.

9. A mining vehicle comprising a sensor system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The at least one sensor is mounted to a front side of a vehicle of the mining vehicle in a forward driving direction of the mining vehicle.

10. The mining vehicle of claim 9, wherein: The front side of the vehicle includes at least one mounting slot configured to form a recess, wherein the at least one sensor is mounted within the recess, and wherein the recess has angled sides to enable the at least one sensor to scan at least an area of ​​the mining vehicle in the forward driving direction.

11. The mining vehicle of claim 10, wherein: The at least one mounting slot is located in at least one side of the front portion of the vehicle and has an angled side extending to at least one side of the mining vehicle so that the at least one sensor can scan an area located by the at least one side of the mining vehicle.

12. A mining vehicle according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein: The mining vehicle comprises at least one boom and the at least one sensor is mounted in a front side of the vehicle below an attachment point of the boom.

13. A mining vehicle according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein: The at least one sensor is mounted to a bumper of the mining vehicle.

14. A method for delivering measurement data relating to the surroundings of a mining vehicle using a management switch configured for port mirroring, the method comprising: configuring a first port of the management switch for a first application among a plurality of applications stored on at least one computing device; configuring at least one second port to at least one second application of the plurality of applications stored on the at least one computing device; sending, by the management switch, measurement data received from at least one sensor configured to scan a surrounding environment of the mining vehicle to the first port; as well as A copy of the measurement data is sent by the management switch to the at least one second port using port mirroring.

15. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to claim 14.

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