Mine car scheduling system and method based on shaft stockpile monitoring, storage medium

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of mine exploitation and material transportation, and discloses a mine car scheduling system and method based on chute material level monitoring and a storage medium. The system comprises: an edge numerical control base station used for issuing a material level measurement instruction to a multi-modal material level detector; the multi-modal material level detector is used for responding to the material level measurement instruction, real-time detection of the average height of the material level in the chute, uploading the detected average height of the material level to a cloud server through a mine Ethernet ring network; the edge numerical control base station is used for scheduling a mine car to drive to a target chute when it is found that the average height of the material level of the target chute reaches a full-bin limiting height based on the average height of the material level stored in the cloud server; and a mine car in-place sensing terminal is used for real-time monitoring of the position of the mine car during driving of the mine car, and stopping the driving of the mine car when it is found that the mine car reaches the position of the target chute. Through real-time monitoring of the material level of the chute and accurate scheduling of the mine car, the transportation efficiency is improved, and the continuity and safety of production are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of mining and material transportation technology, and in particular to a mine car dispatching system and method based on ore pass level monitoring, and a storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In the mining and material transportation system, the ore pass, as a key hub connecting various mining sections with the external transportation system, undertakes the function of centralized temporary storage and transfer of ore and waste rock. Its core value lies in optimizing transportation efficiency through large-scale material collection, and real-time dynamic monitoring of the ore pass level is the foundation for ensuring the stable operation of this function. Specifically, the level data directly serves the ore discharge management decision-making. After receiving the mine transportation plan, the ore discharge operators need to plan the transportation route and allocate unloading tasks based on the real-time level information of each ore pass. This process must not only meet the total ore transportation requirements for the shift but also control the ore level in each ore pass within a safe threshold to avoid blockages caused by excessively high levels or emptying due to excessively low levels, thereby ensuring the continuous operation capability of the ore pass system.

[0003] However, the material level monitoring technologies currently widely used in the mining industry have significant limitations. Traditional contact sensors (such as rotary paddle and capacitive sensors) sense material levels through mechanical contacts or changes in electric field. In the harsh working conditions of mines, these sensors are easily affected by material impact, corrosion, and dust accumulation, leading to inaccurate measurements or frequent equipment failures. While manual visual inspection can serve as a supplementary method, it is limited by differences in personnel experience and the frequency of inspections, making it difficult to achieve continuous and accurate monitoring of material levels. This can lead to information lag causing ore chutes to operate beyond their limits and to reduce overall transportation efficiency due to inefficient scheduling. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, this application provides a mine car scheduling system and method based on chute level monitoring, as well as a storage medium, which improves transportation efficiency and ensures production continuity and safety through real-time monitoring of chute levels and precise scheduling of mine cars.

[0005] According to one aspect of this application, a mine car dispatching system based on chute level monitoring is provided, the system comprising:

[0006] Edge CNC base station, multimodal level detector, mine Ethernet ring network, cloud server and mine truck arrival sensing terminal;

[0007] The edge CNC base station is used to send level measurement commands to the multimodal level detector;

[0008] The multimodal level detector is used to respond to the level measurement command, detect the average level height in the chute in real time, and upload the detected average level height to the cloud server through the mine Ethernet ring network.

[0009] The edge CNC base station is also used to dispatch mining trucks to the target chute when it is determined, based on the average material level height stored in the cloud server, that there is a target chute where the average material level height has reached the full storage limit height.

[0010] The mine car positioning sensing terminal is used to monitor the mine car's position in real time during its travel, and to control the mine car to stop when it is detected that the mine car has reached the target chute position.

[0011] According to another aspect of this application, a mine car scheduling method based on chute level monitoring is provided, the method comprising:

[0012] The edge CNC base station sends a material level measurement command to the multimodal material level detector;

[0013] The multimodal level detector responds to the level measurement command, detects the average level height in the chute in real time, and uploads the detected average level height to the cloud server through the mine Ethernet ring network.

[0014] When the edge CNC base station finds a target chute with an average material level that has reached the full storage limit height based on the average material level height stored in the cloud server, it dispatches the mining truck to the target chute.

[0015] The mine car positioning sensing terminal monitors the mine car's position in real time during its journey and controls the mine car to stop when it detects that the mine car has reached the target chute position.

[0016] According to another aspect of this application, a storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described mine car scheduling method based on chute level monitoring.

[0017] Using the above technical solution, this application provides a mine car dispatching system and method based on chute level monitoring, a storage medium, and an edge CNC base station for issuing level measurement commands to a multimodal level detector. The multimodal level detector, in response to the level measurement command, detects the average level height within the chute in real time and uploads the detected average level height to a cloud server via a mine Ethernet ring network. The edge CNC base station is also used to dispatch mine cars to a target chute when the average level height stored in the cloud server reaches the full chute limit. A mine car arrival sensing terminal monitors the mine car's position in real time during its journey and stops the car when it reaches the target chute. Through real-time chute level monitoring and precise mine car dispatching, transportation efficiency is improved, and production continuity and safety are ensured.

[0018] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of a mine car dispatching process based on chute level monitoring, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 2 This paper illustrates a schematic diagram of the architecture of a mine car dispatching system based on chute level monitoring, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 3 This illustration shows an architecture diagram of a multimodal level detector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 4 The illustration shows a schematic flowchart of a mine car scheduling method based on chute level monitoring provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Among them, 101-multimodal level detector, 102-mine truck arrival sensing terminal, 103-mine truck capture camera, 104-edge CNC base station, 105-mine Ethernet ring network, 106-real-time level display screen, 107-cloud server, 1011-millimeter wave radar, 1012-optical data acquisition device as an image device, and 1013-servo motor. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other.

[0026] This embodiment provides a mine car dispatching system based on chute level monitoring. The dispatching process of the mine car dispatching system is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the structure of the mine truck dispatching system is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the system includes:

[0027] Edge numerical control base station 104, multimodal material level detector 101, mine Ethernet ring network 105, cloud server 107, and mine truck arrival sensing terminal 102;

[0028] The edge CNC base station 104 is used to send material level measurement commands to the multimodal material level detector 101;

[0029] The multimodal level detector 101 is used to respond to the level measurement command, detect the average level height in the chute in real time, and upload the detected average level height to the cloud server 107 through the mine Ethernet ring network 105.

[0030] The edge CNC base station 104 is also used to dispatch mine trucks to the target chute when it is determined, based on the average material level height stored in the cloud server 107, that there is a target chute with an average material level height that has reached the full storage limit height.

[0031] The mine car positioning sensing terminal 102 is used to monitor the position of the mine car in real time during the mine car's movement, and to control the mine car to stop moving when the mine car is detected to have reached the target chute position.

[0032] Currently, in order to meet the construction needs of smart mines, it is necessary to build a comprehensive intelligent balance ore transportation management and control system in conjunction with the optimized operation of rail transport unmanned driving system locomotives and underground loader trucks. This will enable the optimal scheduling of the mine truck operation system and provide basic data support for improving the quality and reducing costs of mines. All of this requires the realization of online monitoring of the material level in the ore pass.

[0033] In the above embodiments of this application, the measurement of ore weight is abandoned, and the material level is directly monitored from the perspective of material level. The material level is accurately monitored through non-contact multimodal sensors. At the same time, image and position sensors are used to achieve collaborative monitoring of mine car data. Finally, edge CNC base stations are used to achieve network interconnection of data from all devices, ultimately realizing online dynamic monitoring of material level in the chute and dynamic scheduling of mine cars.

[0034] Specifically, the edge CNC base station 104 issues material level measurement commands. In the daily production and operation of the mine, the edge CNC base station 104, as one of the core control units of the entire scheduling system, can issue material level measurement commands to the multimodal material level detector 101 at set intervals or according to specific triggering conditions, based on preset programs and rules. For example, it can be set to send a command to the multimodal material level detector 101 every 30 minutes to ensure timely monitoring of material level changes in the ore pass.

[0035] Next, the multimodal level detector 101 detects and uploads level data. That is, after receiving the level measurement command from the edge CNC base station 104, the multimodal level detector 101 immediately begins operation. This detector can combine various technologies such as millimeter-wave radar and optical data acquisition equipment to detect the average level height of the material in the chute in real time. The millimeter-wave radar emits millimeter waves and receives reflected waves, calculating the level height based on information such as the time and intensity of the reflected waves. The optical data acquisition equipment can capture images of the material in the chute from different angles, using image analysis technology to assist in determining the level height.

[0036] After the detector completes the material level detection, it will quickly and stably upload the average height data of the detected material level to the cloud server 107 for storage via the mine Ethernet ring network 105.

[0037] Next, the edge CNC base station 104 determines and schedules the mining trucks. Specifically, the edge CNC base station 104 accesses the cloud server 107 in real time to obtain the stored average material level data of the chute. When the edge CNC base station 104 determines, based on this data, that chute has reached its full-load limit height, it designates that chute as the target chute. For example, if the full-load limit height is set to 10 meters, when the average material level of chute No. 2 reaches 10 meters, the edge CNC base station will mark chute No. 2 as the target chute.

[0038] Subsequently, the edge CNC base station 104 rationally dispatches the mine cars to the target ore pass based on information such as the real-time location and operating status of the mine cars and the location of the target ore pass. For example, if there are 3 mine cars in an idle state, the edge CNC base station 104 can select the mine car that is closest to the target ore pass and is in good condition, and send a dispatch instruction to it, instructing it to go to the target ore pass for loading operations.

[0039] Next, the mine car positioning sensing terminal 102 controls the mine car to stop. As the mine car travels towards the target chute according to the dispatch instructions, the terminal monitors its position in real time. When the terminal detects that the mine car has reached the target chute, it immediately sends a control signal to the mine car's control system to stop the car. For example, when the mine car is less than 1 meter from the entrance of the target chute, the terminal determines that the car has reached the target chute and promptly issues a stop command to ensure the car stops accurately at the target chute for subsequent loading operations.

[0040] Therefore, through the above process, the mine car dispatching system can realize real-time monitoring of the material level in the chute and precise dispatching of mine cars, thereby improving the mine's production efficiency and transportation safety.

[0041] Specifically, the edge CNC base station 104 can be an edge computing device composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). The CPU must be at least a quad-core ARM Cortex-A7, the NPU at least 8.0 TOPS and supporting INT8 / INT16, the memory at least 1GB DDR, and the hard drive at least 4GB eMMC. The edge CNC base station 104 also includes a communication module to connect to the mine's Ethernet ring network 105. The mine's Ethernet ring network 105 can be a local area network (LAN) and connects to the cloud server 107 via an external interface. The communication method of the mine's Ethernet ring network 105 can be RS485 Modbus.

[0042] Optionally, the chute includes multiple chutes, and each chute corresponds to at least one multimodal level detector 101. The multimodal level detector 101 includes a millimeter-wave radar 1011, an optical data acquisition device 1012 as an image device, and a servo motor 1013. The system further includes:

[0043] The edge CNC base station 104 is also used to send generator control commands to the servo motor 1013;

[0044] The servo motor 1013 is used to respond to motor control commands to drive the millimeter-wave radar 1011 of the multimodal level detector 101 and the optical data acquisition device 1012 to rotate synchronously, wherein each rotation corresponds to one scan.

[0045] The millimeter-wave radar 1011 is used to collect point cloud data from different angles during any scan. The point cloud data acquired in one scan presents a conical shape in space, and the point cloud data obtained in one scan corresponds to a conical point cloud.

[0046] The optical data acquisition device 1012 is used to synchronously acquire optical data of the corresponding angle and orientation;

[0047] The multimodal level detector 101 is also used to respond to the level measurement command by fusing the cone-shaped point cloud obtained from each scan with the corresponding optical data to form a hemispherical point cloud model, and to perform integral calculation on the spatial surface corresponding to the hemispherical point cloud model to obtain the average height of the material level in the chute, wherein the hemispherical point cloud model represents the spatial surface of the material surface in the chute.

[0048] Currently, the main technologies for level detection in mine chutes include: hammer level gauges, laser level gauges, microwave radar level gauges, and multi-beam radar monitoring systems. These detection devices have the advantages of small size and high accuracy. However, in the high dust and moisture environment of mines, the propagation of the storage medium is severely affected, leading to a significant reduction in measurement accuracy and difficulty in ensuring data continuity. They also require substantial initial investment and are difficult to maintain. Furthermore, most have limited measurement ranges and cannot meet the requirements for ultra-deep chutes of 200m and above.

[0049] In the above embodiments of this application, the multimodal level detector consists of a millimeter-wave radar, an optical data acquisition device as an image acquisition unit, and a servo motor, and belongs to the category of "non-contact" detectors. Specifically, it measures the material level by emitting waves and receiving reflected waves through millimeter-wave radar. Previous level detectors used contact measurement methods, such as equipping a small weight, where the weight would come into contact with the material during detection. However, the above embodiments of this application achieve accurate monitoring of the material level through a non-contact multimodal sensor. Simultaneously, it utilizes image and position sensors to achieve coordinated monitoring of mine car data, effectively solving the problems of limited range, insufficient real-time performance, and insufficient accuracy in current measurement methods. By employing image processing technology and effective communication with mine car information, it achieves coordinated ore discharge processes and effectively realizes online dynamic and accurate monitoring of the ore level in the ore pass.

[0050] Specifically, the architecture of the modal level detector 101 is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 In the diagram, solid lines represent fixed mechanical connections, and arrows represent driven rotary connections. The millimeter-wave radar 1011 and the optical data acquisition device 1012, which serves as an image device, are fixedly connected in a coaxial rotation mode via connectors. The servo motor 1013 receives control commands from the generator to achieve precise rotational movement of the millimeter-wave radar 1011 and the optical data acquisition device 1012, which serves as an image device.

[0051] Regarding the millimeter-wave radar 1011, the following parameters can be set:

[0052] Operating frequency band: 79GHz±1GHz;

[0053] Beamwidth: Azimuth × Elevation ≤ 0.5°;

[0054] Ranging resolution:

[0055] 4 meters (distance greater than 1000 meters and less than 2000 meters);

[0056] 2 meters (distance greater than 250 meters and less than 1000 meters);

[0057] 0.4 meters (distance less than 250 meters);

[0058] Ranging accuracy: better than one-quarter of the resolution;

[0059] Beam pointing accuracy: servo motor controlled, better than 0.2 degrees.

[0060] Specifically, in the above context, ranging resolution refers to the minimum distance interval between two adjacent targets that a radar can distinguish. If the distance between two targets is less than the ranging resolution, the radar may not be able to identify them as two separate targets, but will instead treat them as a single target. Therefore, the meanings of ranging resolution for different distance ranges are as follows:

[0061] When the distance is greater than 1000 meters but less than 2000 meters, the ranging resolution is 4 meters. Within this relatively long distance range, the millimeter-wave radar 1011 can distinguish between two targets at a minimum distance interval of 4 meters. In other words, when the distance between two targets is less than 4 meters, the radar may not be able to accurately distinguish them as two separate targets. For example, at a distance of 1500 meters from the radar, if two objects are 3 meters apart, the radar may display them as a single target.

[0062] When the distance is greater than 250 meters but less than 1000 meters, the ranging resolution is 2 meters. This means that when the target is within this distance range, the radar's ranging resolution increases to 2 meters. This implies that within this range, the radar can distinguish between two targets that are 2 meters or more apart. For example, at a distance of 500 meters from the radar, two targets 2 meters apart can be clearly identified as two independent targets.

[0063] When the distance is less than 250 meters, the ranging resolution is 0.4 meters. This means that within a range of less than 250 meters from the radar, the radar's ranging resolution can reach 0.4 meters. At this distance, the radar can distinguish between two targets that are 0.4 meters or more apart. For example, at a distance of 100 meters from the radar, two objects 0.4 meters apart can be accurately distinguished by the radar.

[0064] The ranging resolution of the millimeter-wave radar 1011 changes with the target distance. It has higher resolution at closer distances, enabling more accurate differentiation of adjacent targets; while at farther distances, the resolution is relatively lower. This design is determined based on the radar's operating principle and practical application requirements, to meet the accuracy requirements for target detection within different distance ranges.

[0065] Furthermore, each chute needs to be equipped with at least one multimodal level detector 101. During operation, by driving the millimeter-wave radar 1011 and the optical data acquisition device 1012, which serves as an image device, to rotate, point cloud data and optical data from different angles are collected. The point cloud of a cone surface can be scanned at a time, and after multiple scans, a model can be created to obtain a hemispherical point cloud, thus achieving spatial modeling. Then, by integrating the spatial surface, the average height of the material level can be calculated.

[0066] Specifically, for example, an underground mine has three ore passes (ore passes 1, 2, and 3), and each ore pass is equipped with a multimodal level detector 101. The multimodal level detector 101 consists of a millimeter-wave radar 1011, an optical data acquisition device 1012, and a servo motor 1013, and is used to monitor the material level height within the ore pass in real time. The specific measurement process is as follows:

[0067] 1. The edge CNC base station 104 issues instructions. In the centralized control room of the mine, the edge CNC base station 104 issues material level measurement instructions to the multi-modal material level detectors 101 of each pass according to the preset monitoring plan. For example, it is set to perform material level measurements once at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm every day to ensure that the material level changes in the pass can be grasped in a timely manner.

[0068] 2. The servo motor 1013 drives the detector to rotate and scan. After the multi-modal level detector 101 receives the level measurement command, the servo motor 1013 starts working. The edge CNC base station 104 sends a generator control command to the servo motor 1013, and the servo motor 1013 responds to the command, driving the millimeter-wave radar 1011 and the optical data acquisition device 1012 to rotate synchronously. Each rotation corresponds to one scan, and the scanning range covers the entire cross-section of the chute.

[0069] 3. The millimeter-wave radar 1011 collects point cloud data. During each scan, the millimeter-wave radar 1011 emits millimeter waves and receives reflected waves. By measuring the time difference and intensity of the emitted and reflected waves, the millimeter-wave radar 1011 can collect point cloud data from different angles. Because the detector rotates during scanning, the point cloud data acquired in one scan will have a conical shape in space; that is, the point cloud data acquired in one scan corresponds to a conical point cloud. This point cloud data reflects the distance information of the material surface inside the ore pass at different angles.

[0070] 4. The optical data acquisition device 1012 acquires optical data synchronously with the scanning of the millimeter-wave radar 1011, obtaining optical data at corresponding angles and azimuths. The optical data can provide image information of the material surface within the chute, assisting the millimeter-wave radar 1011 in level measurement using point cloud data. For example, optical images allow for a more intuitive observation of the shape and characteristics of the material surface, helping to improve the accuracy of level measurement.

[0071] 5. Data fusion forms a hemispherical point cloud model. The multimodal level detector 101 fuses the conical point clouds obtained from each scan with the corresponding optical data. Through data fusion technology, the conical point clouds obtained from different scanning angles are stitched together and integrated, and combined with the information from the optical data, to form a complete hemispherical point cloud model. This hemispherical point cloud model can more comprehensively and accurately represent the spatial curvature of the material surface in the chute.

[0072] 6. Calculate the average material level height using integral calculations. Perform integral calculations on the spatial surface corresponding to the formed hemispherical point cloud model. Integral calculations convert the point cloud data on the spatial surface into specific numerical values, thus obtaining the average material level height within the chute. For example, by calculating the average distance information of each point on the spatial surface, the average height of the material within the chute can be obtained.

[0073] Specifically, the calculated average material level data of the ore chutes is also uploaded to the cloud server 107 for storage and analysis via the mine's Ethernet ring network 105. Mine managers can access the cloud server to monitor the material level of each ore chute in real time. When the average material level of a certain ore chute reaches the full load limit, the edge CNC base station 104 will promptly dispatch mine trucks to that ore chute for loading operations, ensuring continuous and stable production in the mine.

[0074] Through the above process, the multimodal level detector 101 can accurately measure the level of material in the chute, providing important data support for mine car scheduling and production management.

[0075] In addition, the optical data acquisition device 1012, which serves as an image device, can be an infrared camera, and its communication method with the mine Ethernet ring network 105 is RJ45 TCP / IP. The millimeter-wave radar 1011 and the mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 communicate with the mine Ethernet ring network 105 via RS485 Modbus.

[0076] Optionally, the millimeter-wave radar 1011 employs a high-gain parabolic antenna to achieve beam narrowing, and a monolithic integrated SOC (System on a Chip) millimeter-wave chip to achieve signal transmission, reception, signal processing and preprocessing, and selects a low-slope linear frequency modulation signal mode for measurement, and selects frequency diversity and polarization diversity modes during measurement.

[0077] In the embodiments described above, the parabolic antenna uses a reflector design to focus electromagnetic waves into a narrow beam, which improves directivity. The narrow beam can accurately point to the material surface within the chute, reducing sidelobe interference (such as reflections from the chute wall), lowering the risk of false measurements, and reducing interference from clutter in other directions (such as nearby equipment and dust), thus improving the signal-to-noise ratio, especially ensuring measurement reliability in complex mining environments. The narrower the beam, the higher the spatial resolution, allowing for clearer differentiation of the boundary between the material surface and the chute structure, improving the accuracy of material level calculation.

[0078] Monolithic integrated SOC millimeter-wave chips integrate functions such as transmission, reception, signal processing (e.g., FFT, target detection), and preprocessing (e.g., filtering, amplification) into a single chip. This integrated design reduces external components (e.g., discrete RF devices, processors) and adapts to the compact deployment requirements of ore pass detectors (e.g., installation on the top or sidewall of the ore pass). It also reduces board-level connections (e.g., solder joints, cables), lowering the risk of failure due to vibration and temperature variations, and ensuring long-term stable operation in harsh mining environments. The integrated signal processing module enables rapid point cloud data generation (e.g., distance-angle mapping), reducing communication latency with external processors and improving the real-time performance of level measurement.

[0079] Low-slope linear frequency modulation (LFM) signal mode involves transmitting a frequency-modulated signal whose frequency changes linearly with time. Distance is calculated by measuring the frequency difference between the reflected and transmitted signals. The low slope (slow rate of frequency change) reduces the performance requirements of high-speed ADCs (analog-to-digital converters) and DSPs (digital signal processors) for signal processing while maintaining a certain ranging resolution (determined by bandwidth), simplifying hardware design. LFM signals have a certain ability to suppress multipath effects (such as multiple reflections from material surfaces), and combined with subsequent signal processing (such as constant false alarm rate detection), ranging errors caused by multipath interference can be reduced. The longer frequency modulation period of low-slope LFM results in more concentrated signal energy, improving the detection capability for weakly reflective targets (such as material surfaces in low-dust environments).

[0080] Frequency diversity and polarization diversity modes involve simultaneously or alternately transmitting multiple signals of different frequencies (e.g., different frequency points within 79GHz ± 1GHz). Signals with different polarization directions (e.g., horizontal H-polarization and vertical V-polarization) are transmitted / received. Frequency diversity reduces signal loss caused by frequency-selective fading (e.g., reflection attenuation at specific frequencies due to material surface roughness), improving measurement reliability. Polarization diversity utilizes the differences in reflection characteristics of different polarization signals (e.g., H-polarization reflects strongly on horizontal surfaces, V-polarization reflects strongly on vertical surfaces), enabling more comprehensive capture of the geometric features of the material surface (e.g., tilt, unevenness), reducing signal blind spots caused by polarization mismatch. Combining multi-frequency, multi-polarization reflection signals generates richer point cloud data (e.g., distance information at different frequencies, reflection intensity of different polarizations), helping to distinguish the material surface from interference objects (e.g., debris hanging in a chute), improving the accuracy of material level calculation.

[0081] Therefore, by applying the above embodiments of this application, the millimeter-wave radar 1011 can achieve high-precision, high-reliability, and high-integration measurement in ore pass level detection. At the same time, the high-gain antenna and diversity technology ensure signal quality in complex environments; the SOC chip and low-slope LFM balance performance and cost, adapting to the needs of mine deployment; and multimodal data fusion (point cloud + optics) further improves the accuracy of the average level height calculation, providing a reliable basis for mine truck scheduling.

[0082] Specifically, regarding the suppression of multipath interference from the wellbore, waveform design, frequency diversity, and polarization diversity methods can be used to suppress multipath signals by controlling the beam sidelobe pointing and the position of the target interference fringes. The basic processing flow is as follows:

[0083] First, the platform is leveled and aligned. Then, signals of different frequencies and polarizations are transmitted in diversity mode, and distance measurements are performed within each diversity. Target position correlation is performed between diversity groups to suppress multipath effects. Accumulation processing is then performed to improve ranging accuracy. The ranging results are output, stored, and post-processed as needed.

[0084] Optionally, the system further includes multiple mine car capture cameras 103, which are distributed and installed on the mine track. Each mine car capture camera 103 has a preset serial number. The mine car travels along the mine track. The system also includes:

[0085] The mine truck capture camera 103 is used to capture images of the mine truck during its operation and upload the captured images to the cloud server via the mine Ethernet ring network.

[0086] The edge CNC base station 104 is also used to acquire mine car images stored in the cloud server based on the images captured by two adjacent mine car capture cameras, and to determine the driving direction of the mine car based on the acquired mine car images and the preset serial number corresponding to the mine car capture camera that captured the mine car images.

[0087] The edge CNC base station 104 is also used to readjust the driving direction of the mine car when the driving direction of the mine car is shown to be away from the target chute, until the mine car drives back to the target chute.

[0088] In the above embodiments of this application, the mine car capture camera 103 can be a black light camera. All cameras (the infrared camera of the optical data acquisition device 1012, which serves as the image device, and the black light camera of the mine car capture camera 103) communicate with the mine Ethernet ring network 105 via RJ45 TCP / IP. The mine car capture camera 103 is an image device, distributed and installed on each side of the mine track, used to determine the driving direction and load factor of the mine car. The driving direction of the mine car can be determined by the order in which adjacent mine car capture cameras 102 capture the mine car and by identifying the relationship in the mine track topology map.

[0089] Specifically, for example, in an underground mine using a rail transport system, there are three main transport tracks (tracks A, B, and C), each with multiple chutes (e.g., track A corresponds to chutes A1 and A2). The mine deploys five mine car capture cameras 103 (cameras 1-5), installed at key nodes on the tracks (e.g., junctions, chute entrances), each camera corresponding to a unique preset serial number (e.g., camera 1's serial number is 001). The mine cars must travel to the target chutes according to the dispatch instructions.

[0090] First, the system implements image acquisition and uploading for mine car capture cameras. Cameras 1 and 2 are installed at the entrance of track A and the first fork in the road; cameras 3 and 4 are installed at the fork in track B and the entrance of chute B1; and camera 5 is installed at the entrance of chute C1 on track C. When a mine car passes through the camera's coverage area (e.g., triggered by infrared sensing or radar), camera 103 automatically captures an image of the mine car (including license plate number and direction of travel) and uploads the image to the cloud server 107 via the mine's Ethernet ring network 105. For example, when mine car M001 travels from the entrance of track A to chute A2, camera 1 (serial number 001) captures an image of the car facing right, and camera 2 (serial number 002) captures an image of the car facing left.

[0091] Next, the edge CNC base station 104 periodically obtains images of the mining trucks taken by adjacent cameras and their corresponding serial numbers from the cloud server 107.

[0092] If the base station acquires images from camera 1 (001) and camera 2 (002), and the shooting time of camera 1 is earlier than that of camera 2, then the direction of the mine car is determined to be "from camera 1 to camera 2".

[0093] By combining the direction of the car's front in the image (e.g., the car's front is to the right in the image of camera 1, and the car's front is to the left in the image of camera 2), it can be confirmed that the actual driving direction of the mine car is consistent with the sequence number (track A is a one-way loop, the car's front facing left indicates returning to the entrance, and facing right indicates heading towards the chute).

[0094] If camera 1 captures a picture of the mine car facing right, but camera 2 does not capture an image (or captures a picture of the mine car facing in the opposite direction), it is determined that the mine car may have deviated from the track or stopped.

[0095] If the base station determines from the images of cameras 1 and 2 that the direction of the mine car is "from camera 1 to the entrance" (away from chute A2), it will immediately send a "turn right" command to the mine car control system to adjust the mine car to enter the branch line of the fork and redirect it to chute A2.

[0096] Specifically, if a mine car stops between camera 2 and chute A2 due to track blockage, the base station will trigger an alarm by continuously failing to capture images from camera 3 (the entrance to chute A2), and can dispatch nearby maintenance personnel to handle the situation. The base station will continuously monitor the mine car's position until camera 3 captures an image of the mine car entering chute A2, confirming that the task is complete.

[0097] To address this, direction determination is achieved through preset serial numbers and image timestamps, eliminating the need for additional sensors (such as GPS) and adapting to the GPS-free environment of underground mines. The mine's Ethernet ring network 105 provides low-latency communication (<100ms), ensuring rapid response from the base station to directional deviations. Dual verification using image content (vehicle heading direction) and serial number sequence avoids misjudgments caused by camera malfunctions or time synchronization errors.

[0098] Optionally, the system further includes:

[0099] The edge CNC base station 104 is also used to calculate the full load rate of the mine car based on the average height of the material level in the target chute and the rated load of the mine car when the mine car reaches the target chute location, and upload the calculated full load rate to the cloud server through the mine Ethernet ring network.

[0100] The edge CNC base station 104 is also used to adjust the full load limit height based on the full load rate of the mining truck.

[0101] In the above embodiments of this application, for example, an underground iron ore mine uses a rail transport system with three chutes (A1, A2, A3). Each chute is equipped with a multimodal level detector 101 for real-time monitoring of the average material level. The mine deploys five mining cars (each with a rated load capacity of 20 tons), and an edge CNC base station 104 is responsible for scheduling the loading operations of the mining cars. The current requirement is: when a mining car arrives at the target chute, the base station needs to dynamically calculate the full load rate based on the material level and the load capacity of the mining car, and optimize the full load limit height to improve loading efficiency. A specific process, for example:

[0102] First, determine the triggering conditions for the mine car to arrive at the target chute, including location confirmation: Mine car M001 arrives at the entrance of chute A1 via the track RFID tag or camera 103. After receiving the location signal, base station 104 initiates the full load rate calculation process. Data preparation: The base station obtains the real-time average material level height of chute A1 (e.g., 15 meters) and the rated load capacity (20 tons) of mine car M001 from the cloud server 107.

[0103] Next, regarding the calculation logic of the full load rate, it is calculated as the ratio of the loading capacity corresponding to the current material level to the rated load capacity of the mine car multiplied by 100%. Base station 104 can convert the 15-meter material level height into volume based on the geometric model of chute A1 (such as a conical pile) and the material density (iron ore density is approximately 3.5 tons per cubic meter), and then calculate the loading capacity, which is the product of the pile volume and the material density. If the calculated full load rate exceeds 100%, the base station automatically corrects it to 100% and triggers an alarm prompting "Insufficient material level, material needs to be replenished."

[0104] Base station 104 encapsulates the mine truck ID (M001), chute ID (A1), load factor (100%), and timestamp into JSON format data, and uploads it to cloud server 107 via the mine Ethernet ring network 105, for example, using the MQTT protocol, and stores it in a time series database (such as InfluxDB) for subsequent analysis.

[0105] In particular, the full load limit height can be optimized based on the load factor to prevent mine cars from being overloaded or underloaded.

[0106] For example, if the load factor is less than 80%, the limit height of the full load compartment is increased (e.g., from 12 meters to 14 meters) to increase the single loading capacity; if the load factor is greater than 95%, the limit height is decreased (e.g., from 12 meters to 10 meters) to prevent overloading.

[0107] The cloud server 107 can also periodically analyze the relationship between load factor and loading efficiency to optimize base station adjustment strategies (such as predicting the optimal limit height through machine learning models).

[0108] Optionally, the mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 is an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) receiver. The mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 transmits radio frequency signals of a preset frequency in real time. The mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 is installed at a preset position at the entrance of the chute. The mine car has a corresponding electronic tag. The system also includes:

[0109] The mine car positioning sensing terminal 102 is also used to capture the return radio frequency signal reflected by the electronic tag on the mine car, and to measure the distance between itself and the mine car based on the captured return radio frequency signal.

[0110] The mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 is also used to determine that the target mine car has arrived at the target chute location when the measured distance is less than a preset distance threshold, wherein the preset distance threshold is determined based on the actual distance between the target chute location and the mine car arrival sensing terminal.

[0111] In the above embodiments of this application, the mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 can be a position sensor, such as a light sensor. The mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 is an RFID receiver. Each mine car is equipped with a unique electronic tag. By calculating the distance between the RFID receiver and the electronic tag, the mine car's ID and arrival status can be determined.

[0112] Specifically, for example, an underground copper mine has a ore pass (B1) used to load copper ore into mine cars. A mine car arrival sensing terminal (102, RFID receiver, 915MHz frequency) is installed at the entrance of ore pass B1, and a passive electronic tag (compliant with EPC C1G2 standard) is affixed to the front of mine car M005. The system requirement is: when mine car M005 arrives at the loading position of ore pass B1, terminal 102 must accurately detect the arrival signal and trigger the loading system to start. The specific process is as follows:

[0113] 1. Working principle of RFID terminal:

[0114] Signal transmission: The mine car arrival sensing terminal 102 periodically transmits radio frequency pulses at a preset frequency (915MHz) (pulse width 10μs, period 50ms) through the antenna, covering a range of about 5 meters.

[0115] Tag reflection: After the electronic tag of the mining truck M005 enters the signal coverage area, it receives radio frequency energy and reflects the modulated signal (that is, returns the radio frequency signal with a carrier frequency offset of ±100kHz), carrying the tag's unique ID (such as EPC code).

[0116] Signal Acquisition: Terminal 102 captures the reflected signal (i.e., the returned radio frequency signal), obtains the tag ID through demodulation, and records the signal round-trip time (ToF).

[0117] 2. Distance measurement logic:

[0118] Formula: Distance = ToF × c / 2, (c is the speed of light; ToF is the round-trip time of the signal).

[0119] For time measurement: Terminal 102 has a built-in high-precision timer (1ns resolution) to measure the time difference between radio frequency pulse transmission and reflected signal reception.

[0120] For example, if ToF = 30 ns, then the distance is: 30 ns × 3 × 10 8 m / s / 2 = 4.5.

[0121] For filtering: To eliminate multipath interference (such as ground reflection), the terminal uses a moving average filter (window size 5 times) to output a stable distance value.

[0122] 3. Determining the preset distance threshold:

[0123] Installation and calibration: Terminal 102 is installed 1 meter to the right of the entrance of B1 of the chute. The loading position of the mine car requires the front of the car to be aligned with the discharge port of the chute (actual distance 2 meters).

[0124] Threshold setting: Based on measured data, when the distance between the mine car head and terminal 102 is 2 meters, the signal strength (RSSI) is -65dBm, and the ToF ranging error is ±0.1 meters. The system sets the threshold to 1.8 meters (with 0.2 meters of redundancy).

[0125] 4. Arrival determination and system response:

[0126] Judgment criteria: If the distance measurement results of terminal 102 are all less than 1.8 meters for 3 consecutive times, and the tag ID matches the EPC code of the preset mine car M005, then it is determined that "in place".

[0127] Signal transmission: The terminal sends a position signal to the edge CNC base station 104 through the mine Ethernet ring network 105.

[0128] Loading Start-up: After receiving the signal, base station 104 sends a command to the PLC controller of chute B1 to start the vibrating feeder to load ore into the mine car.

[0129] Optionally, the system further includes a real-time material level display screen 106, and the edge CNC base station 104 is an edge computing device composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). The system also includes:

[0130] The edge CNC base station 104 is also used to send material level display instructions to the real-time material level display screen;

[0131] The real-time material level display screen 106 is used to respond to the material level display command and display the average height of the material level in the chute detected in real time by the multi-modal material level detector.

[0132] In the above embodiments of this application, the real-time level display screen 106 can be an LED display screen used to display the average level height calculated by the multimodal level detector 101. Specifically, the underground iron mine has three main ore passes (A, B, and C), each equipped with a multimodal level detector 101. Ore pass A is responsible for loading iron ore onto five mining cars and needs to display the level height in real time to guide the loading operation. The system upgrade goal is to achieve local processing of level data through an edge computing device and deploy a real-time level display screen 106 in the ore pass control room for operators to monitor intuitively.

[0133] Real-time material level display 106, such as a 10.1-inch industrial-grade touchscreen (resolution 1920×1200, brightness 800 cd / m²). 2 It supports the Modbus TCP protocol. The multimodal detector 101 in chute A synchronously collects three types of data per second:

[0134] The CPU encapsulates the processed material level data (average height, timestamp, status code) into JSON instructions and sends the instructions to the display screen 106 via Ethernet using the UDP protocol (low latency) with a cycle of 1 second. The display screen 106 parses the JSON instructions and updates the UI interface. This allows the controller to view the current material level status of each chute in real time.

[0135] Currently, the accuracy of single-mode radar altimeter measurement depends on the weight of the ore and the accuracy of the interpolation equation for the ore pass's air height curve. Different ore passes require repeated measurements to ensure accuracy. Furthermore, the small diameter and depth of the ore pass openings make radar ranging prone to multipath propagation, leading to inaccurate measurements. Additionally, it cannot achieve data uploading and real-time interaction, nor can it coordinate mine truck scheduling, thus hindering dynamic material monitoring.

[0136] By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, accurate monitoring of material level is achieved through multimodal sensors, while collaborative monitoring of mine car data is realized using image and position sensors. Finally, edge CNC base stations enable network interconnection of data from all devices, ultimately achieving online dynamic and accurate monitoring of material level in the ore pass. Furthermore, in the overall material level monitoring system integrating mine cars and a networked mine, special settings for millimeter-wave radar prevent multipath interference with measurement accuracy; and the RFID positioning method for mine car arrivals, linked to a topologically distributed mine car capture camera system, improves the online dynamic and accurate monitoring of material level in the ore pass and the precision of mine car scheduling.

[0137] Furthermore, as Figure 1In terms of specific system implementation, this application provides a mine car scheduling method based on chute level monitoring, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the method includes:

[0138] Step 201: The edge CNC base station sends a material level measurement command to the multi-modal material level detector;

[0139] Step 202: The multimodal level detector responds to the level measurement command, detects the average level height in the chute in real time, and uploads the detected average level height to the cloud server through the mine Ethernet ring network.

[0140] Step 203: When the edge CNC base station finds a target chute with an average material level that has reached the full storage limit height based on the average material level height stored in the cloud server, it dispatches the mine truck to drive to the target chute.

[0141] Step 204: During the mine car's journey, the mine car positioning sensing terminal monitors the mine car's position in real time and controls the mine car to stop when it detects that the mine car has reached the target chute position.

[0142] Based on the above, Figure 4 Accordingly, this application also provides a storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method. Figure 4 The method for scheduling mine cars based on chute level monitoring is shown.

[0143] Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as CD-ROM, USB flash drive, mobile hard drive, etc.) and includes several instructions to cause a device (such as personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in various implementation scenarios of this application.

[0144] Those skilled in the art will understand that the storage medium provided in this embodiment may further include an operating system and a network communication module. The operating system is a program that manages and stores the hardware and software resources of the device, supporting the operation of information processing programs and other software and / or programs. The network communication module is used to enable communication between the various components within the storage medium, as well as communication with other hardware and software in the physical device.

[0145] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented using software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms, or it can be implemented using hardware to create an edge CNC base station for issuing material level measurement commands to a multimodal material level detector. The multimodal material level detector, in response to the material level measurement command, detects the average material level height in the chute in real time and uploads the detected average material level height to a cloud server via a mine Ethernet ring network. The edge CNC base station is also used to dispatch mine cars to the target chute when a target chute with an average material level height reaching the full hopper limit is found based on the average material level height stored in the cloud server. The mine car arrival sensing terminal is used to monitor the mine car's position in real time during its journey and control the mine car to stop when it detects that the mine car has reached the target chute. Through real-time monitoring of the chute material level and precise dispatching of mine cars, transportation efficiency is improved, and production continuity and safety are ensured.

[0146] Those skilled in the art will understand that the accompanying drawings are merely schematic diagrams of a preferred embodiment, and the modules or processes shown in the drawings are not necessarily essential for implementing this application.

[0147] The serial numbers in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of any particular implementation scenario. The above disclosures are merely a few specific implementation scenarios of this application; however, this application is not limited thereto, and any modifications that can be made by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A mine car dispatching system based on chute level monitoring, characterized in that, The system includes: Edge CNC base station, multimodal level detector, mine Ethernet ring network, cloud server and mine truck arrival sensing terminal; The edge CNC base station is used to send material level measurement commands to the multimodal material level detector, wherein the multimodal material level detector includes a millimeter-wave radar, a servo motor, and an optical data acquisition device as an image device; The edge CNC base station is also used to send generator control commands to the servo motor; The servo motor is used to respond to motor control commands and drive the millimeter-wave radar and optical data acquisition equipment of the multimodal level detector to rotate synchronously, wherein each rotation corresponds to one scan. The millimeter-wave radar is used to collect point cloud data from different angles during any scan. The point cloud data acquired in one scan presents a cone shape in space, and the point cloud data obtained in one scan corresponds to a cone-shaped point cloud. The optical data acquisition device is used to synchronously acquire optical data of the corresponding angle and orientation; The multimodal level detector is also used to respond to the level measurement command by fusing the cone-shaped point cloud obtained from each scan with the corresponding optical data to form a hemispherical point cloud model, and to perform integral calculation on the spatial surface corresponding to the hemispherical point cloud model to obtain the average height of the material level in the chute. The hemispherical point cloud model represents the spatial surface of the material surface in the chute. The multimodal level detector is used to respond to the level measurement command, detect the average level height in the chute in real time, and upload the detected average level height to the cloud server through the mine Ethernet ring network. There are multiple chutes, and each chute corresponds to at least one multimodal level detector. The edge CNC base station is also used to dispatch mining trucks to the target chute when it is determined, based on the average material level height stored in the cloud server, that there is a target chute where the average material level height has reached the full storage limit height. The mine car positioning sensing terminal is used to monitor the mine car's position in real time during its travel, and to control the mine car to stop when it is detected that the mine car has reached the target chute position.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The millimeter-wave radar employs a high-gain parabolic antenna to achieve beam narrowing, and a monolithic integrated SOC (System on a Chip) millimeter-wave chip to achieve signal transmission, reception, signal processing, and preprocessing. It also selects a low-slope linear frequency modulation signal mode for measurement, and selects frequency diversity and polarization diversity modes during measurement.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes multiple mine car capture cameras, which are distributed and installed on the mine track. Each mine car capture camera has a preset serial number. The mine car travels along the mine track. The system also includes: The mining truck capture camera is used to capture images of the mining truck while it is in motion, and upload the captured images to the cloud server via the mine's Ethernet ring network. The edge CNC base station is also used to acquire images of mine trucks captured by two adjacent mine truck capture cameras stored in the cloud server, and to determine the driving direction of the mine truck based on the acquired mine truck images and the preset serial number corresponding to the mine truck capture camera that captured the mine truck images. The edge CNC base station is also used to readjust the driving direction of the mine car when the driving direction of the mine car shows that it is moving away from the target chute, until the mine car drives back to the target chute.

4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The system also includes: The edge CNC base station is also used to calculate the full load rate of the mine car based on the average height of the material level in the target chute and the rated load of the mine car when the mine car reaches the target chute location, and upload the calculated full load rate to the cloud server through the mine Ethernet ring network. The edge CNC base station is also used to adjust the full load limit height based on the full load rate of the mining truck.

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mine car arrival sensing terminal is an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) receiver. The terminal transmits radio frequency signals at a preset frequency in real time. It is installed at a preset location at the entrance of the ore pass. Each mine car has a corresponding electronic tag. The system also includes: The mine truck arrival sensing terminal is also used to capture the return radio frequency signal reflected by the electronic tag on the mine truck, and to measure the distance between itself and the mine truck based on the captured return radio frequency signal. The mine car arrival sensing terminal is also used to determine that the target mine car has arrived at the target chute location when the measured distance is less than a preset distance threshold, wherein the preset distance threshold is determined based on the actual distance between the target chute location and the mine car arrival sensing terminal.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The system also includes a real-time material level display screen, and the system further includes: The edge CNC base station is also used to send material level display instructions to the real-time material level display screen; The real-time material level display screen is used to respond to the material level display command and display the average height of the material level in the chute detected in real time by the multi-modal material level detector.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The edge CNC base station is an edge computing device composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an NPU (Neural Processing Unit).

8. A mine car scheduling method based on chute level monitoring, characterized in that, The method includes: The edge CNC base station sends a material level measurement command to the multimodal material level detector, wherein the multimodal material level detector includes a millimeter-wave radar, a servo motor, and an optical data acquisition device as an image device; The edge CNC base station sends control commands to the generator under the servo motor; The servo motor responds to motor control commands and drives the millimeter-wave radar and optical data acquisition equipment of the multi-modal level detector to rotate synchronously, with each rotation corresponding to one scan. During any single scan, millimeter-wave radar collects point cloud data from different angles. The point cloud data acquired in a single scan presents a cone shape in space, and the point cloud data obtained in a single scan corresponds to a cone-shaped point cloud. The optical data acquisition equipment synchronously acquires optical data at the corresponding angle and orientation; The multimodal level detector responds to the level measurement command by fusing the cone-shaped point cloud obtained from each scan with the corresponding optical data to form a hemispherical point cloud model. It then performs integral calculations on the spatial surface corresponding to the hemispherical point cloud model to obtain the average height of the material level in the chute. The hemispherical point cloud model represents the spatial surface of the material surface in the chute. The multimodal level detector responds to the level measurement command, detects the average level height in the chute in real time, and uploads the detected average level height to the cloud server through the mine Ethernet ring network. There are multiple chutes, and each chute corresponds to at least one multimodal level detector. When the edge CNC base station finds a target chute with an average material level that has reached the full storage limit height based on the average material level height stored in the cloud server, it dispatches the mining truck to the target chute. The mine car positioning sensing terminal monitors the mine car's position in real time during its journey and controls the mine car to stop when it detects that the mine car has reached the target chute position.

9. A storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the mine car scheduling method based on chute level monitoring as described in claim 8.

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