Software upgrading method for mining equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a mining equipment software upgrading method, and belongs to the field of automation. According to the mining equipment software upgrading method, a software package matched with a remote controller in a server is obtained through the remote controller, and the software package is sent to a corresponding to-be-updated module in mining equipment through the remote controller; and the to-be-updated module carries out software upgrading according to the received software package. Compared with the prior art, a full-automatic, wireless and extra hardware dependence-free software upgrading method is realized, field intervention of engineers is not needed, and the upgrading process is simplified; the upgrading process is automatic, and manual operation errors are reduced; the method adapts to special working environments of mining equipment, and upgrading stability and reliability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of automation, and in particular to a method for upgrading mining equipment software. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of the mining industry, mining equipment is becoming increasingly intelligent and automated. The stability and reliability of its software systems are crucial to its normal operation. Mining equipment typically consists of multiple functional modules, each with its own dedicated software system to support its operation. As technology evolves, these software systems require regular upgrades to fix vulnerabilities, add new features, or improve performance.

[0003] Currently, software upgrades for mining equipment are primarily performed via wired connections, requiring on-site professional technicians. This method enables nested upgrades for multiple devices, but still requires manual intervention. However, existing technologies for mining equipment software upgrades still present numerous challenges. First, traditional mining equipment software upgrades require on-site intervention by engineers underground, operating in challenging operating environments (such as high temperature, high humidity, and strong vibration). This not only creates harsh working conditions but also poses safety risks. Second, the upgrade process requires shutting down the equipment and opening the electrical control box, exposing the electrical modules for power-up, increasing the risk of equipment damage. Third, the upgrade process is cumbersome, requiring significant manpower and financial resources, significantly impacting equipment operation and production. Fourth, upgrading in such challenging operating environments results in poor stability and is susceptible to environmental factors, leading to errors or interruptions during the upgrade process. Finally, existing technologies lack effective automated management capabilities, carry the risk of human error, and fail to meet the requirements for rapid, safe, and stable upgrades of mining equipment in complex environments.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that can remotely, safely and stably upgrade mining equipment software to solve the above technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the issue of electrical module upgrades for existing mining equipment requiring on-site intervention by engineers, which reduces upgrade efficiency, a mining equipment software upgrade method is provided that enables remote, secure, and stable upgrades.

[0006] The present application provides a method for upgrading software of a mining device. The mining device is associated with at least one remote controller. The mining device includes at least one module, including:

[0007] The remote controller obtains a software package matching the remote controller from a server, the software package carrying the remote controller number and the number of the module to be updated;

[0008] The remote controller sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment;

[0009] The module to be updated performs software upgrade according to the received software package.

[0010] Optionally, the remote controller sends the software package to a corresponding module to be updated in the mining device, including:

[0011] The remote controller communicates with the mining device and sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining device according to the module number to be updated carried in the software package.

[0012] Optionally, the remote controller communicates with the mining equipment via two channels, and the communication between the remote controller and the mining equipment includes:

[0013] The remote controller sends a control instruction to the mining equipment through the first channel;

[0014] The remote controller sends the software package to the mining equipment through the second channel.

[0015] Optionally, the module to be updated performs software upgrade according to the received software package, including:

[0016] The module to be updated includes a first storage area for storing a currently executed program, a second storage area for storing a software package to be updated, and a third storage area for storing a guide program;

[0017] The module to be updated stores the software package in the second storage area to perform software upgrade.

[0018] Optionally, also include:

[0019] The module to be updated obtains upgrade feedback information. If the software upgrade of the module to be updated fails, the module to be updated calls the software to be updated in the second storage area to re-execute the upgrade procedure.

[0020] Optionally, also include:

[0021] The module to be updated obtains upgrade feedback information. If the software upgrade of the module to be updated fails, the module to be updated calls the currently executed program in the first storage area.

[0022] Optionally, the remote controller sends the software package to a corresponding module to be updated in the mining device, which also includes:

[0023] The remote controller performs a redundancy check on the software package. If the check passes, the remote controller sends the software package to a corresponding module to be updated in the mining device.

[0024] Optionally, the module to be updated performs software upgrade according to the received software package, and the process also includes:

[0025] The module to be updated performs a redundancy check on the software package. If the check passes, the module to be updated performs a software upgrade according to the received software package.

[0026] Optionally, the remote controller obtains a software package matching the remote controller from a server, including:

[0027] When the remote controller is in a charging state, the 4G module in the remote controller communicates with the server to obtain a software package in the server that matches the remote controller.

[0028] Beneficial effects of the above technical solution:

[0029] In this technical solution, the mining equipment software upgrade method of this application uses a remote control to retrieve a matching software package from a server and then transmits it to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment. This allows the module to perform a software upgrade based on the received software package. Compared to existing technologies, this application implements a fully automatic, wireless, and hardware-free software upgrade method, eliminating the need for on-site engineer intervention and simplifying the upgrade process. The automated upgrade process reduces human error and adapts to the unique operating environment of mining equipment, improving upgrade stability and reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 This is a method flow chart of an embodiment of the mining equipment software upgrade method described in this application;

[0031] Figure 2 A method flow chart of another embodiment of the method for upgrading mining equipment software described in this application;

[0032] Figure 3 A method flow chart of another embodiment of the method for upgrading mining equipment software described in this application;

[0033] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the communication principle between the remote control and the mining equipment and server for this application;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the communication between the remote control and the mining equipment in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The advantages of the present application are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0036] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all possible embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present disclosure, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0037] The terms used in this disclosure are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used in this disclosure and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," "the," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0038] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used in this disclosure to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from each other. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "at the time of" or "when" or "in response to determining."

[0039] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the numerical labels before the steps do not indicate the order in which the steps are executed. They are only used to facilitate the description of this application and to distinguish each step. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on this application.

[0040] Example 1

[0041] A method for upgrading mining equipment software is described. The mining equipment is associated with at least one remote control, which includes at least one module. The mining equipment can be mining equipment used in coal, metal, or non-metallic mines, such as shearers, roadheaders, and loaders. The remote control is used to remotely control the operation of the mining equipment and also performs software upgrades. The modules in the mining equipment can include control modules, sensor modules, execution modules, and other functional units.

[0042] See Figure 1-Figure 5 As shown, the mining equipment software upgrade method includes the following steps:

[0043] S1. The remote control obtains a software package that matches the remote control in the server, the software package carries the remote control number and the module number to be updated;

[0044] In this embodiment, the remote control connects to the server via the network and downloads a software package that matches the remote control. The software package includes a remote control number, which identifies the remote control for which the package is applicable, and a module number to be updated, which identifies the module in the mining equipment that requires software upgrade.

[0045] Specifically, step S1 may include: when the remote control is in a charging state, communicating with the server through the 4G module in the remote control to obtain a software package matching the remote control in the server.

[0046] When the remote control is charging, it uses its 4G module to communicate with the server via the base station to retrieve the matching software package from the server. To ensure normal operation of the remote control, software package downloads are usually performed while the remote is charging. The remote control has a built-in 4G communication module, which allows it to directly connect to the internet, communicate with the software upgrade server, and download the appropriate software package for the remote control.

[0047] In actual applications, before executing step S1, the remote control sends an upgrade request to the server. The upgrade request may include the remote control number and the module number to be updated. The server determines the software package corresponding to the module number to be updated based on the remote control number and the module number to be updated in the upgrade request, and sends the software package to the remote control that matches the remote control number, so that the remote control obtains the matching software package.

[0048] It should be noted that the module to be updated in this example is an electrical module. The mining equipment is a coal mining machine. S2. The remote controller sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment;

[0049] Furthermore, step S2 may include: the remote controller communicating with the mining device, and sending the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining device according to the module number to be updated carried by the software package.

[0050] In this embodiment, the remote control includes a first transceiver and a second transceiver. The first transceiver communicates via a first channel, and the second transceiver communicates via a second channel. The remote control communicates with the mining equipment via two channels. Specifically, the remote control communicates with the mining equipment by sending control commands to the mining equipment via the first channel and sending the software package to the mining equipment via the second channel.

[0051] The first channel can be a low-bandwidth, high real-time communication channel, suitable for transmitting control instructions, and the first channel is Sub 1 GHz, such as 915 MHz; the second channel can be a high-bandwidth communication channel, such as 2.4 GHz, suitable for transmitting large-capacity software package data. The use of two channels to output data ensures that the software package transmission and the control instructions output by the remote controller are parallel and independent, and do not interfere with each other.

[0052] In the embodiment, the remote controller can communicate with the mining equipment through the wireless communication module, the mining equipment includes the wireless communication module and a plurality of modules, each module communicates with each other through a communication bus, and the mining equipment sends the received software package to the corresponding to-be-updated module through the communication bus.

[0053] In the embodiment, before step S2 is performed, the following steps can also be included:

[0054] The remote controller performs redundancy check on the software package, and if the check is passed, step S2 is performed.

[0055] Specifically, after the remote controller receives the software package, the remote controller performs redundancy check (CRC check) on the software package to ensure that the software package is not damaged or tampered with during transmission. Only the software package that passes the check is sent to the to-be-updated module in the mining equipment, thereby improving the security and reliability of software upgrading.

[0056] S3. The to-be-updated module performs software upgrading according to the received software package.

[0057] Further, step S3 can include that the to-be-updated module includes a first storage area for storing a currently executed program, a second storage area for storing a to-be-updated software package, and a third storage area for storing a guide program.

[0058] The to-be-updated module stores the software package in the second storage area and performs software upgrading.

[0059] In the embodiment, the first storage area is used to store a program that is currently running, the second storage area is used to store a to-be-updated software package received from the remote controller, and the third storage area stores a guide program for guiding the software upgrading process.

[0060] In the preferred embodiment, referring to Figure 2 The mining equipment software upgrading method can further include:

[0061] A. The to-be-updated module acquires upgrading feedback information, and if the to-be-updated module fails in software upgrading, the to-be-updated module calls the to-be-updated software in the second storage area to re-execute the upgrading program.

[0062] Specifically, the module to be updated will generate upgrade feedback information during the software upgrade process, including upgrade progress, upgrade status, etc. If the upgrade feedback information shows that the upgrade has failed, the module to be updated will automatically call the downloaded software package to be updated in the second storage area and re-execute the upgrade program to improve the upgrade success rate.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, see Figure 3 The mining equipment software upgrade method may further include:

[0064] B. The module to be updated obtains upgrade feedback information. If the software upgrade of the module to be updated fails, the module to be updated calls the currently executed program in the first storage area.

[0065] Specifically, if the upgrade fails after multiple attempts, in order to ensure the normal operation of the mining equipment, the module to be updated will roll back to the original version and call the current execution program in the first storage area to ensure that the function of the mining equipment is not affected.

[0066] In this embodiment, before executing step S3, the method may further include: the module to be updated performs a redundancy check on the software package, and if the check passes, executing step S3.

[0067] Specifically, after the update module receives the software package, it will also perform a redundancy check as a secondary confirmation of the integrity of the software package, further ensuring the security of the software upgrade.

[0068] The mining equipment software upgrade method of this embodiment uses a remote control as an intermediary to remotely upgrade the mining equipment software. The remote control retrieves the software package from a server and then transmits it to the module to be updated in the mining equipment, completing the software upgrade. This approach avoids the security risks of directly connecting the mining equipment to the internet while leveraging the remote control's mobility, making the software upgrade process more flexible and convenient. Technical measures such as dual-channel communication, redundant checking, and a multi-level storage area design ensure the security and reliability of the software upgrade process.

[0069] The mining equipment software upgrade method disclosed herein uses a remote control to retrieve a matching software package from a server and then transmits the package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment. This allows the module to perform a software upgrade based on the received package. Compared to existing technologies, this method achieves a fully automatic, wireless, and hardware-free software upgrade, eliminating the need for on-site engineer intervention and simplifying the upgrade process. The mining operator only needs to provide the remote control number and module number and charge the remote control to complete the upgrade preparation. The upgrade process is automated, reducing human error. Even if the upgrade fails, production is not affected, and the original program (the currently executed program) can be resumed. This method adapts to the unique operating environment of mining equipment and improves upgrade stability and reliability. The software package transmission and the control commands output by the remote control are parallel and independent, without interfering with each other. By utilizing dual-band communication technology, one band is used for normal communication and the other for software updates, ensuring reliable and independent communication. Furthermore, by dividing the module to be updated into a first storage area for the currently executed program, a second storage area for the software package to be updated, and a third storage area for the guidance program, a fallback to the original program is possible in the event of an upgrade failure, ensuring the continued operation of the equipment.

[0070] To upgrade the software of a specific electrical module on a coal mining machine, the mine owner simply needs to provide the manufacturer with the corresponding remote control number and the module number to be updated, and then charge the remote control. When the mine resumes operations, the mine owner can bring the remote control down to the mine and connect it to the coal mining machine's wireless receiving module to complete the software update.

[0071] Example 2

[0072] A method for upgrading mining equipment software is disclosed. The mining equipment is associated with at least one remote controller, and the mining equipment includes at least one module. In this embodiment, the mining equipment may be a tunnel boring machine (TBM). The remote controller is a control device specifically designed for the TBM. The mining equipment includes multiple functional modules, such as a drive control module, a cutting control module, and a loading control module.

[0073] The mining equipment software upgrade method of this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0074] The remote control retrieves a matching software package from the server. The package contains the remote control number and the number of the module to be updated. Specifically, the remote control connects to the mining equipment management server via a wireless network. The server then provides a matching software package based on the remote control's identity information. The software package includes the remote control number and the number of the module to be updated, ensuring that the software package is correctly applied to the specified device and module.

[0075] The remote controller sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment. Specifically, the remote controller establishes a communication connection with the mining equipment, and according to the module number to be updated in the software package, the software package is sent to the corresponding module in the mining equipment. The data transmission between the remote controller and the mining equipment is carried out through Bluetooth communication, which ensures the stability of communication in the complex environment of the mine.

[0076] The module to be updated performs software upgrade according to the received software package. Specifically, after receiving the software package, the module to be updated decompresses the software package and performs software update according to the preset upgrade process. The module to be updated will first backup the current running software version, then install the new version software, and finally perform function verification.

[0077] In this embodiment, when the remote controller obtains the software package matched with the remote controller in the server, the remote controller is in standby state, and the remote controller communicates with the server through the WiFi module in the remote controller to obtain the software package matched with the remote controller in the server. Different from the first embodiment, in this embodiment, the remote controller does not need to be in the charging state, but communicates with the server through the WiFi module instead of the 4G module in the standby state. This mode is suitable for the scene where WiFi network has been deployed in the mine, and can save communication cost.

[0078] The mining equipment software upgrade method of this embodiment realizes remote upgrade of the software of the mining equipment through the remote controller as an intermediate medium. Compared with the first embodiment, this embodiment uses different communication modes and working state conditions, and is suitable for different mine environments and device configurations.

[0079] Embodiment three

[0080] A mining equipment software upgrade method, the mining equipment is associated with at least one remote controller, and the mining equipment includes at least one module. The mining equipment in this embodiment is a hydraulic support control system, the remote controller is a handheld device for controlling the hydraulic support, and the mining equipment includes multiple functional modules, such as a hydraulic control module, a posture monitoring module, a communication module, etc.

[0081] The mining equipment software upgrade method of this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0082] The remote controller obtains the software package matched with the remote controller in the server, and the software package carries the remote controller number and the module number to be updated. Specifically, the remote controller is connected to the hydraulic support management server through a wired network, and the server provides a software package adapted to the remote controller according to the model and serial number of the remote controller. The software package includes the remote controller number for identifying the target remote controller, and also includes the module number to be updated for identifying the specific module in the hydraulic support that needs to be upgraded.

[0083] The remote control sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment. Specifically, the remote control establishes a communication connection with the hydraulic support and sends the software package to the corresponding module in the hydraulic support based on the module number to be updated in the software package. Communication between the remote control and the hydraulic support occurs via three channels: the first channel is used to transmit control commands, the second channel is used to transmit the software package, and the third channel is used to transmit status feedback information. Unlike the first embodiment, this embodiment adds a third channel for real-time monitoring of equipment status during the upgrade process, improving the monitorability of the upgrade process.

[0084] The module to be updated performs a software upgrade based on the received software package. Specifically, after receiving the software package, the module to be updated stores it in a designated storage area and then performs the software update according to a pre-set upgrade process. The module to be updated includes four storage areas: the first storage area stores the currently executed program, the second storage area stores the software package to be updated, the third storage area stores the guidance program, and the fourth storage area stores historical version backups. Unlike the first embodiment, this embodiment adds a fourth storage area for storing historical version backups, facilitating rollback to earlier versions when needed.

[0085] This embodiment of the mining equipment software upgrade method uses a remote control as an intermediary to remotely upgrade the hydraulic support control system software. Compared to the previous two embodiments, this embodiment adds communication channels and storage areas, improving the reliability and flexibility of the software upgrade process. It is suitable for hydraulic support control systems with higher requirements for safety and stability.

[0086] It should be noted that the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the third embodiment are all methods for upgrading the mining equipment software.

[0087] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading software of a mining device, wherein the mining device is associated with at least one remote controller, and the mining device includes at least one module, characterized in that: include: The remote controller obtains a software package matching the remote controller from a server, the software package carrying the remote controller number and the number of the module to be updated; The remote controller sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment; The module to be updated performs software upgrade according to the received software package.

2. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 1, characterized in that: The remote controller sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment, including: The remote controller communicates with the mining device and sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining device according to the module number to be updated carried in the software package.

3. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 2, characterized in that: The remote controller communicates with the mining equipment via two channels, and the communication between the remote controller and the mining equipment includes: The remote controller sends a control instruction to the mining equipment through the first channel; The remote controller sends the software package to the mining equipment through the second channel.

4. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 1, characterized in that: The module to be updated performs software upgrade according to the received software package, including: The module to be updated includes a first storage area for storing a currently executed program, a second storage area for storing a software package to be updated, and a third storage area for storing a guide program; The module to be updated stores the software package in the second storage area to perform software upgrade.

5. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 4, characterized in that: Also includes: The module to be updated obtains upgrade feedback information. If the software upgrade of the module to be updated fails, the module to be updated calls the software to be updated in the second storage area to re-execute the upgrade procedure.

6. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 4, characterized in that: Also includes: The module to be updated obtains upgrade feedback information. If the software upgrade of the module to be updated fails, the module to be updated calls the currently executed program in the first storage area.

7. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 1, characterized in that: The remote controller sends the software package to the corresponding module to be updated in the mining equipment, which also includes: The remote controller performs a redundancy check on the software package. If the check passes, the remote controller sends the software package to a corresponding module to be updated in the mining device.

8. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 1, characterized in that: The module to be updated performs software upgrade according to the received software package, and the method further includes: The module to be updated performs a redundancy check on the software package. If the check passes, the module to be updated performs a software upgrade according to the received software package.

9. The method for upgrading mining equipment software according to claim 1, characterized in that: The remote controller obtains a software package matching the remote controller from a server, including: When the remote controller is in a charging state, the 4G module in the remote controller communicates with the server to obtain a software package in the server that matches the remote controller.

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