Discharging management and control system
By introducing a signal conversion module into the PLC controller, the control voltage signal is converted into a digital quantity and a data message is generated, which solves the problem of unloading control of unmanned transport vehicles in traditional mining operations, realizes effective control of unmanned transport vehicles, and reduces the difficulty and cost of upgrading.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- XIAN MAIN FUNCTION INTELLIGENT TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-15
AI Technical Summary
In traditional mining operations, traffic lights cannot effectively control the unloading process of unmanned transport vehicles, resulting in the unloading operation of unmanned transport vehicles not being able to proceed smoothly.
By introducing a signal conversion module into the PLC controller, the control voltage signal is converted into a digital quantity and a data message is generated and sent to the control and scheduling platform, thereby enabling the control of the unloading operation of the unmanned transport vehicle.
In traditional mining operations, this reduces the difficulty of upgrading manned transport vehicle control systems, saves upgrade costs, and enables effective unloading control of unmanned transport vehicles.
Smart Images
Figure CN122050182A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of smart mining technology, and in particular to unloading control systems. Background Technology
[0002] In traditional mining operations, manned transport vehicles typically lift and unload materials at the crushing inlet. To ensure the orderly operation of the lifting and unloading process, red and green signal lights are usually installed at the crushing inlet to intervene in the unloading operation of the manned transport vehicle by indicating the status of the red and green signal lights.
[0003] With the recent advancements in autonomous driving technology, several technology companies have successfully implemented unmanned transportation applications for raw coal, ore, and earthwork stripping in open-pit mines. However, the traffic lights traditionally used in mines cannot effectively control unmanned transport vehicles. Therefore, managing the unloading process of these vehicles has become a pressing issue. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide an unloading control system to manage the unloading process of unmanned transport vehicles in mines. The specific technical solution is as follows: This application provides an unloading control system, including: a PLC controller, a signal conversion module, and a control scheduling platform; the control signal output circuit of the PLC controller is connected to the signal conversion module, and the signal conversion module is communicatively connected to the control scheduling platform; The PLC controller is configured to output a control voltage signal corresponding to the discharge permission status of the crushing orifice via a control signal output circuit; the discharge permission status includes a prohibited discharge status and a permitted discharge status; The signal conversion module is configured to: convert the control voltage signal output by the PLC controller into a digital quantity according to a pre-designed conversion rule; generate a data message carrying the digital quantity and send the data message to the control scheduling platform; wherein, the digital quantity obtained by converting the first control voltage signal corresponding to the prohibited unloading state is different from the digital quantity obtained by converting the second control voltage signal corresponding to the permitted unloading state; The control and scheduling platform is configured to: determine the unloading permission status of the crushing port based on the digital quantity carried in the received data message; and control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operations based on the unloading permission status.
[0005] Optionally, the signal conversion module includes a signal conversion circuit and a gateway device; the control signal output circuit is specifically connected to the signal conversion circuit. The signal conversion circuit is configured to: when the control signal output circuit outputs a first control voltage signal, output a first status indication signal to the digital input port of the gateway device; when the control signal output circuit outputs a second control voltage signal, output a second status indication signal to the digital input port of the gateway device. The gateway device is configured to: convert the status indication signal of the input digital input port into a digital quantity; generate a data message carrying the digital quantity and send the data message to the control and scheduling platform; wherein, the first status indication signal and the second status indication signal are designed to be converted into different digital quantities by the digital input port.
[0006] Optionally, the signal conversion circuit includes a potential supply circuit and a relay circuit. The potential supply circuit includes a first supply line and a second supply line. The first supply line and the second supply line are respectively connected to the relay circuit. The potential supply circuit is configured to output a first status indication signal through a first supply line and a second status indication signal through a second supply line. The relay circuit is configured such that: when the voltage port outputs a first control voltage signal, it controls the first supply line to connect with the digital input port, so that a first status indication signal is input to the digital input port; when the control signal output circuit outputs a second control voltage signal, it controls the second supply line to connect with the digital input port, so that a second status indication signal is input to the digital input port.
[0007] Optionally, the first supply line includes a first supply line and a second supply line, and the second supply line includes a third supply line and a fourth supply line; the digital input port includes a first input port and a second input port. The potential supply circuit is specifically configured to output a first-level signal through the first supply line and the fourth supply line, and to output a second-level signal through the second supply line and the third supply line. The relay circuit is specifically configured as follows: when the voltage port outputs a first control voltage signal, it controls the first supply line to connect to the first input port, so that the first input port receives a first level signal; when the voltage port outputs a second control voltage signal, it controls the third supply line to connect to the first input port, so that the first input port receives a second level signal; when the voltage port outputs a second control voltage signal, it controls the third supply line to connect to the first input port, so that the first input port receives a second level signal; when the fourth supply line connects to the second input port, so that the second input port receives a second level signal. The gateway device is specifically configured to: convert the level signal input to the first input port into a first value, convert the level signal input to the second input port into a second value, and obtain a digital quantity containing the first value and the second value; generate a data message carrying the digital quantity, and send the data message to the control and scheduling platform; wherein the first level signal and the second level signal are converted into different values.
[0008] Optionally, the control signal output circuit includes a first output circuit and a second output circuit, and the relay circuit includes a first relay and a second relay; the first output circuit is connected to the coil control terminal of the first relay, and the second output circuit is connected to the coil control terminal of the second relay; a first supply line is connected to the first control terminal of the first relay, a second supply line is connected to the second control terminal of the second relay, a third supply line is connected to the second control terminal of the first relay, and a fourth supply line is connected to the first control terminal of the second relay; a first input port is connected to the common terminal of the first relay, and a second input port is connected to the common terminal of the second relay. The PLC controller is specifically configured as follows: when the unloading permission state is the unloading prohibited state, it outputs a high-level control voltage signal through the first output circuit and a low-level control voltage signal through the second output circuit; when the unloading permission state is the unloading permitted state, it outputs a low-level control voltage signal through the first output circuit and a high-level control voltage signal through the second output circuit. The relay circuit is specifically configured as follows: when the first output circuit outputs a high-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the first relay is connected to the first control terminal, causing the first supply line to be connected to the first input port; when the first output circuit outputs a low-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the first relay is connected to the second control terminal, causing the third supply line to be connected to the first input port; when the second output circuit outputs a high-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the second relay is connected to the first control terminal, causing the fourth supply line to be connected to the second input port; when the second output circuit outputs a low-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the second relay is connected to the second control terminal, causing the second supply line to be connected to the second input port.
[0009] Optionally, the data message is an MQTT message. The data message defines two content fields for carrying numerical values. Each content field includes a value field and a data source field. The value fields in the two content fields are used to carry the first value and the second value, respectively. The data source field is used to indicate whether the value carried in the value field of the current content field comes from the first input terminal or the second input terminal.
[0010] Optionally, the potential supply circuit also includes an AC to DC conversion circuit, the input of which is connected to the mains power supply, and the output of which is connected to the first supply line and the second supply line. The AC-to-DC circuit is configured to convert the AC signal output from the mains power supply into a DC signal, and input the converted DC signal into the first supply line and the second supply line, so that the first supply line outputs a first status indication signal and the second supply line outputs a second status indication signal.
[0011] Optionally, the potential supply circuit also includes a leakage current protection switch; the input terminal of the AC to DC circuit is connected to the mains power supply via the leakage current protection switch.
[0012] Optionally, the initial design purpose of the control voltage signal is to control the display status of the unloading permission status indicator; when the control signal output circuit is connected to the unloading permission status indicator, when the control signal output circuit outputs the first control voltage signal, the unloading permission status indicator displays a first display status indicating that unloading is allowed; when the control signal output circuit outputs the second control voltage signal, the unloading permission status indicator displays a second display status indicating that unloading is prohibited.
[0013] Optionally, the control and dispatch platform includes an unmanned transportation business backend and a cloud-based dispatch system; The signal conversion module is specifically configured to forward data packets to the unmanned transportation business backend; The backend for unmanned transportation operations is configured to forward received data packets to the cloud-based dispatch system. The cloud-based scheduling system is configured to: determine the unloading permission status of the crushing port based on the digital quantity carried in the received data message; when the unloading permission status is prohibited from unloading, not control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operation at the crushing port; when the unloading permission status is permitted from unloading, control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operation at the crushing port.
[0014] Beneficial effects of the embodiments in this application: In traditional mining operations, red and green traffic lights are typically installed at the crushing and unloading port. A PLC controller outputs a control voltage signal corresponding to the current unloading permission status to the traffic lights, controlling them to display as red or green. The unloading process of manned transport vehicles is managed through the display status of the traffic lights. When it is necessary to update the transportation method from the traditional operation to use unmanned transport vehicles to perform the unloading operation at the crushing and unloading port, the unloading control system provided in this application embodiment can be applied. The control voltage signal output by the PLC controller, which was originally used to control the red and green traffic lights, is connected to a signal conversion module. The signal conversion module converts the control voltage signal corresponding to different unloading states into different digital quantities, and the converted digital quantities are carried in data packets and sent to the control and scheduling platform. Thus, the control and scheduling platform can determine the current unloading permission status based on the digital quantities in the received data packets and manage the unloading process of the unmanned transport vehicles.
[0015] As can be seen from the above, the control system provided in this application embodiment can, on the basis of the PLC controller originally configured in traditional mining operation scenarios, convert the control voltage signal output by the PLC controller into a data message that can carry the unloading permission status information of the crushing material outlet by adding a signal conversion module. This allows the control and scheduling platform for controlling the unmanned transport vehicle to determine the current unloading permission status based on the data message and to control the unloading of the unmanned transport vehicle. Therefore, when updating the manned transportation mode in traditional mining operation scenarios to an unmanned transportation mode, by applying the control system provided in this application embodiment, the unloading control of the unmanned transport vehicle can be achieved while reducing the difficulty of upgrading the original manned transport vehicle control system and saving upgrade costs.
[0016] Of course, implementing any product or method of this application does not necessarily require achieving all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other embodiments can be obtained based on these drawings.
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a first structure of the unloading control system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a second structural schematic diagram of the unloading control system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a third structure of the unloading control system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a first structure of the signal conversion module in the unloading control system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a second structure of the signal conversion module in the unloading control system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 Provided for the embodiments of this application Figure 5 Actual circuit connection diagram of the signal conversion module; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the unloading control process provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on this application are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0020] In traditional mining operations, red and green traffic lights are typically installed at the crushing inlet to intervene in the unloading process of manned transport vehicles, ensuring the orderly operation of the unloading process. Specifically, the main dispatching system of the mining area usually issues commands to the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) controller in the crushing room to allow or prohibit unloading. The PLC controller in the crushing room then outputs red or green voltage signals to the traffic lights to control their display status, thereby intervening in the unloading process of the manned transport vehicles.
[0021] However, with the recent advancements in autonomous driving technology, several technology companies have implemented unmanned transportation applications for coal, ore, and earthwork stripping in open-pit mines. The traffic lights previously used in mines cannot intervene in the unmanned transport vehicles, making the management of their unloading operations a pressing issue.
[0022] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide an unloading control system, which can be used to control the unloading operation process of an unmanned transport vehicle. See also Figure 1 The system specifically includes a PLC controller 11, a signal conversion module 12, and a scheduling platform. The control signal output loop of the PLC controller 11 is connected to the signal conversion module 12, and the signal conversion module 12 is communicatively connected to the control and scheduling platform 13.
[0023] The PLC controller 11 in this embodiment is the same PLC controller used in traditional mining operations. Its initial design purpose is to control the display status of the red and green signal lights (unloading permission indicator lights) located at the crushing inlet. Specifically, in traditional mining operations, the control signal output circuit of the PLC controller is connected to the red and green signal lights. When the main dispatch system of the mining area issues a command to prohibit unloading, the PLC controller outputs a red light voltage signal (first control voltage signal) to the red and green signal lights, causing the lights to display a red light status (first display status), indicating that the manned transport vehicle should not unload. When the main dispatch system of the mining area issues a command to allow unloading, the PLC controller outputs a green light voltage signal (second control voltage signal) to the red and green signal lights, causing them to display a green light status (second display status), indicating that the manned transport vehicle should unload.
[0024] In the unloading control system provided in this application embodiment, the PLC controller 11 is configured to output a control voltage signal corresponding to the unloading permission status of the crushing material outlet through a control signal output circuit; the unloading permission status includes a prohibited unloading status and a permitted unloading status.
[0025] Specifically, when the unloading permission status is the unloading prohibition status, the PLC controller 11 outputs a first control voltage signal corresponding to the unloading prohibition status; when the unloading permission status is the unloading permission status, the PLC controller 11 outputs a second control voltage signal corresponding to the unloading permission status.
[0026] The signal conversion module 12 is configured to: convert the control voltage signal output by the PLC controller 11 into a digital quantity according to the pre-designed conversion rules; generate a data message carrying the digital quantity and send the data message to the control scheduling platform 13.
[0027] In this embodiment, the signal conversion module 12 is specifically designed to convert the first control voltage signal and the second control voltage signal into different digital quantities. For ease of explanation, the digital quantity obtained by converting the first control voltage signal is denoted as the first digital quantity, and the digital quantity obtained by converting the second control voltage signal is denoted as the second digital quantity.
[0028] In one example, the signal conversion module 12 can be designed to convert the control voltage signal into a two-bit digital value. For instance, the first control voltage signal can be converted into a first digital value where the first bit is 1 and the second bit is 0, and the second control voltage signal can be converted into a second digital value where the first bit is 0 and the second bit is 1.
[0029] After converting the control voltage signal output by the PLC into a digital quantity, the signal conversion module 12 specifically carries the obtained digital quantity in a data message and transmits it to the control and scheduling platform 13. In one example, the data message can be in the form of an MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) message.
[0030] The control and scheduling platform 13 is configured to: determine the unloading permission status of the crushing port based on the digital quantity carried in the received data message; and control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operations based on the unloading permission status.
[0031] Specifically, since the first control voltage signal corresponding to the prohibited unloading state and the second control voltage signal corresponding to the permitted unloading state are converted into different digital quantities, the control scheduling platform 13 can determine the unloading permission state of the crushing port based on the digital quantity carried in the data message. Specifically, if the digital quantity carried in the data message is the first digital quantity, the unloading permission state of the crushing port can be determined to be the prohibited unloading state; if the digital quantity carried in the data message is the second digital quantity, the unloading permission state of the crushing port can be determined to be the permitted unloading state.
[0032] The control and dispatch platform 13 establishes a communication connection with the unmanned transport vehicle, and can remotely control whether the unmanned transport vehicle unloads material based on the determined unloading permission status. Specifically, when the unloading permission status is determined to be a prohibited unloading status, the control and dispatch platform 13 does not control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operations at the crushing inlet; when the unloading permission status is determined to be a permitted unloading status, the control and dispatch platform 13 controls the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operations at the crushing inlet.
[0033] In one possible implementation of this application, the control and scheduling platform 13 may specifically include an unmanned transportation business backend and a cloud-based scheduling system. In this case, the signal conversion module 12 can specifically send the generated data packets to the unmanned transportation business backend, which then forwards the data packets to the cloud-based scheduling system. This allows the cloud-based scheduling system to determine the unloading permission status of the crushing port based on the digital quantity carried in the received data packets, and control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform the unloading operation based on the unloading permission status.
[0034] In traditional mining operations, red and green traffic lights are typically installed at the crushing and unloading port. A PLC controller outputs a control voltage signal corresponding to the current unloading permission status to the traffic lights, controlling them to display as red or green. The unloading process of manned transport vehicles is managed through the display status of the traffic lights. When it is necessary to update the transportation method from the traditional operation to use unmanned transport vehicles to perform the unloading operation at the crushing and unloading port, the unloading control system provided in this application embodiment can be applied. The control voltage signal output by the PLC controller, which was originally used to control the red and green traffic lights, is connected to a signal conversion module. The signal conversion module converts the control voltage signal corresponding to different unloading states into different digital quantities, and the converted digital quantities are carried in data packets and sent to the control and scheduling platform. Thus, the control and scheduling platform can determine the current unloading permission status based on the digital quantities in the received data packets and manage the unloading process of the unmanned transport vehicles.
[0035] As can be seen from the above, the control system provided in this application embodiment can, on the basis of the PLC controller originally configured in traditional mining operation scenarios, convert the control voltage signal output by the PLC controller into a data message that can carry the unloading permission status information of the crushing material outlet by adding a signal conversion module. This allows the control and scheduling platform for controlling the unmanned transport vehicle to determine the current unloading permission status based on the data message and to control the unloading of the unmanned transport vehicle. Therefore, when updating the manned transportation mode in traditional mining operation scenarios to an unmanned transportation mode, by applying the control system provided in this application embodiment, the unloading control of the unmanned transport vehicle can be achieved while reducing the difficulty of upgrading the original manned transport vehicle control system and saving upgrade costs.
[0036] In one embodiment of this application, see Figure 2 As shown in the diagram, the signal conversion module 12 specifically includes a signal conversion circuit 121 and a gateway device 122, and the voltage output terminal of the PLC controller 11 is specifically connected to the signal conversion circuit 121.
[0037] In this embodiment, the signal conversion circuit 121 is configured to: when the control signal output circuit of the PLC controller 11 outputs a first control voltage signal, output a first status indication signal to the digital input port of the gateway device 122; when the control signal output circuit of the PLC controller 11 outputs a second control voltage signal, output a second status indication signal to the digital input port of the gateway device 122.
[0038] Gateway device 122 is configured to: convert the status indication signal of the input digital input port into a digital quantity; generate a data message carrying the digital quantity; and send the data message to the control and scheduling platform 13.
[0039] The digital input port of gateway device 122 refers to the gateway's DI (Digital Input) port, which can read the input voltage signal as a digital quantity. In this embodiment, when designing the first state indication signal and the second state indication signal output by the signal conversion circuit 121, it should be ensured that the first state indication signal and the second state indication signal can be converted into different digital quantities by the DI port of gateway device 122, thereby achieving the purpose of converting the first control voltage signal and the second control voltage signal into different digital quantities (specifically, the digital quantity obtained based on the first state indication signal is the aforementioned first digital quantity, and the digital quantity obtained based on the second state indication signal is the aforementioned second digital quantity).
[0040] Generally, the DI port of gateway device 122 reads a high-level signal as 1 and a low-level signal as 0. As mentioned in the previous example, a signal conversion module 12 can be designed to convert the first control voltage signal into a first digital value with the first bit set to 1 and the second bit set to 0, and to convert the second control voltage signal into a second digital value with the first bit set to 0 and the second bit set to 1. For example, to achieve this objective, the signal conversion circuit 121 can be designed to input a first high-level signal to the first digital input port of the gateway device 122 and a first low-level signal (the first status indication signal includes the first high-level signal and the first low-level signal) to the second digital input port of the gateway device 122 when the PLC controller 11 outputs the first control voltage signal, so that the gateway device 122 reads the first digital value where the first bit is 1 and the second bit is 0; the signal conversion circuit 121 can also be designed to input a second low-level signal to the first digital input port of the gateway device 122 and a second high-level signal (the second status indication signal includes the second low-level signal and the second high-level signal) to the second digital input port of the gateway device 122 when the PLC controller 11 outputs the second control voltage signal, so that the gateway device 122 reads the second digital value where the first bit is 0 and the second bit is 1.
[0041] In one example, the gateway device 122 in the unloading control system can be a 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology) gateway.
[0042] In one embodiment of this application, see Figure 3 As shown in the diagram, the signal conversion circuit 121 can be implemented by a level supply circuit and a relay circuit 1212. The level supply circuit 1211 includes a first supply line and a second supply line, which are respectively connected to the relay circuit 1212.
[0043] The potential supply circuit 1211 is configured to output a first state indication signal through a first supply circuit and a second state indication signal through a second supply circuit.
[0044] The relay circuit 1212 is configured such that: when the voltage port of the PLC controller 11 outputs a first control voltage signal, it controls the first supply line to be connected to the digital input port so that the first status indication signal is input to the digital input port; when the control signal output circuit of the PLC controller 11 outputs a second control voltage signal, it controls the second supply line to be connected to the digital input port so that the second status indication signal is input to the digital input port.
[0045] In this embodiment, when the relay circuit 1212 controls the first supply line to connect with the digital input port of the gateway device 122, the gateway device 122 specifically converts the first status indication signal output by the first supply line to obtain the first digital quantity; when the relay circuit 1212 controls the second supply line to connect with the digital input port of the gateway device 122, the gateway device 122 specifically converts the second status indication signal output by the second supply line to obtain the second digital quantity.
[0046] In traditional mining operations, to control traffic lights to display as red or green, the PLC controller's control signal output circuits are typically designed with two types of circuits: a red light control circuit and a green light control circuit. The PLC controller outputs a red light control voltage through the red light control circuit to control the on / off state of the red light in the traffic light, and outputs a green light control voltage through the green light control circuit to control the on / off state of the green light. Specifically, when the unloading permission status is "allowed to unload," the PLC controller outputs a high-level red light control voltage through the red light control circuit and a low-level green light control voltage through the green light control circuit, thus turning the red light on and the green light off. When the unloading permission status is "prohibited to unload," the PLC controller outputs a low-level red light control voltage through the red light control circuit and a high-level green light control voltage through the green light control circuit, thus turning the red light off and the green light on.
[0047] In one embodiment of this application, a specific design method for a potential supply circuit 1211 and a relay circuit 1212 is provided for a PLC controller designed in the previous paragraph. For details, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 This is an illustration. A detailed explanation follows: In this embodiment of the application, the first supply line and the second supply line each include two supply lines (the first supply line includes the first supply line O1 and the second supply line O2, and the second supply line includes the third supply line O3 and the fourth supply line O4). The gateway device 122 also includes two digital input ports (the first input port DI0 and the second input port DI1) for converting status indication signals.
[0048] The supply lines are specifically configured to output a first-level signal V1 through the first supply line O1 and the fourth supply line O4, and to output a second-level signal V0 through the second supply line O2 and the third supply line O3.
[0049] In this design, the first status indication signal output by the first supply line includes: a first level signal output by the first supply line O1 and a second level signal output by the second supply line O2. The second status indication signal output by the second supply line includes: a second level signal output by the third supply line O3 and a first level signal output by the fourth supply line O4.
[0050] The relay circuit 1212 is specifically configured as follows: when the control signal output circuit of the PLC controller 11 outputs a first control voltage signal, it controls the first supply line O1 to connect with the first input port DI0, so that the first input port DI0 is connected to a first level signal, and the second supply line O2 to connect with the second input port DI1, so that the second input port DI1 is connected to a second level signal; when the voltage port of the PLC controller 11 outputs a second control voltage signal, it controls the third supply line O3 to connect with the first input port DI0, so that the first input port DI0 is connected to a second level signal, and the fourth supply line O4 to connect with the second input port DI1, so that the second input port DI1 is connected to a first level signal.
[0051] Based on the above design mechanism of relay circuit 1212, when the unloading permission state is unloading prohibited (the control signal output circuit of PLC controller 11 outputs the first control voltage signal), the first input port DI0 of gateway device 122 is connected to the first level signal, and the second input port DI1 is connected to the second level signal; while when the unloading permission state is unloading prohibited (the control signal output circuit of PLC controller 11 outputs the second control voltage signal), the first input port DI0 of gateway device 122 is connected to the second level signal, and the second input port DI1 is connected to the first level signal.
[0052] The gateway device 122 is specifically configured to: convert the level signal of the input first input port DI0 into a first value, convert the level signal of the input second input port DI1 into a second value, and obtain a digital quantity containing the first value and the second value; generate a data message carrying the digital quantity, and send the data message to the control and scheduling platform 13.
[0053] As mentioned earlier, gateway device 122 generally reads a high-level signal as 1 and a low-level signal as 0. In this embodiment, one of the first and second level signals can be set to a high level and the other to a low level to ensure that gateway device 122 obtains different digital values in the prohibited and permitted unloading states. Taking setting the first level signal to a high level and the second level signal to a low level as an example, when the unloading permission state is prohibited, gateway device 122 reads the high-level signal of the first input port DI0 as 1 and the low-level signal of the second input port DI1 as 0, obtaining a first digital value of 1 and a second value of 0; when the unloading permission state is permitted, gateway device 122 reads the low-level signal of the first input port DI0 as 0 and the high-level signal of the second input port DI1 as 1, obtaining a second digital value of 0 and a second value of 1.
[0054] As mentioned earlier, PLC controllers in traditional mining operations typically include two types of control signal output circuits: a red light control circuit and a green light control circuit. When the PLC controller 11 used in this embodiment adopts this design, the red light control circuit is designated as the first output circuit, and the green light control circuit is designated as the second output circuit. Specifically, the PLC controller 11 is configured as follows: when the unloading permission state is the prohibited unloading state, a high-level control voltage signal is output through the first output circuit, and a low-level control voltage signal is output through the second output circuit; when the unloading permission state is the permitted unloading state, a low-level control voltage signal is output through the first output circuit, and a high-level control voltage signal is output through the second output circuit.
[0055] Under this design, the first control voltage signal corresponding to the prohibited unloading state specifically includes: a high-level control voltage signal output by the first output circuit and a low-level control voltage signal output by the second output circuit; the second control voltage signal corresponding to the permitted unloading state specifically includes: a low-level control voltage signal output by the first output circuit and a high-level control voltage signal output by the second output circuit.
[0056] For the PLC controller 11 using the above design, such as Figure 4 As shown in the diagram, the relay circuit 1212 can be designed in the following way: Relay circuit 1212 includes a first relay and a second relay. The first output circuit of PLC controller 11 is connected to the coil control terminal A of the first relay, and the second output circuit of PLC controller 11 is connected to the coil control terminal A of the second relay (for ease of labeling). Figure 4The control voltage signal output from the first output circuit, i.e., the red light control voltage, is denoted as control voltage 1; the control voltage signal output from the second output circuit, i.e., the green light control voltage, is denoted as control voltage 2); the first supply line O1 is connected to the first control terminal C1 of the first relay, the second supply line O2 is connected to the second control terminal C2 of the second relay, the third supply line O3 is connected to the second control terminal C2 of the first relay, and the fourth supply line O4 is connected to the first control terminal C1 of the second relay; the first input port DI0 is connected to the common terminal COM of the first relay, and the second input port DI1 is connected to the common terminal COM of the second relay.
[0057] The relay circuit 1212 is specifically configured as follows: when the first output circuit outputs a high-level control voltage signal, the common terminal COM of the first relay is connected to the first control terminal C1, so that the first supply line O1 is connected to the first input port DI0; when the first output circuit outputs a low-level control voltage signal, the common terminal COM of the first relay is connected to the second control terminal C2, so that the third supply line O3 is connected to the first input port DI0; when the second output circuit outputs a high-level control voltage signal, the common terminal COM of the second relay is connected to the first control terminal C1, so that the fourth supply line O4 is connected to the second input port DI1; when the second output circuit outputs a low-level control voltage signal, the common terminal COM of the second relay is connected to the second control terminal C2, so that the second supply line O2 is connected to the second input port DI1.
[0058] Based on the above design mechanism of relay circuit 1212, it can be ensured that when the unloading permission state is prohibited from unloading (the first output circuit outputs a high-level control signal, and the second output terminal outputs a low-level control signal), the first input port DI0 of the gateway device 122 is connected to the first-level signal output by the first supply line O1, and the second input port DI1 is connected to the second-level signal output by the second supply line O2; when the unloading permission state is permitted from unloading (the first output circuit outputs a low-level control signal, and the second output terminal outputs a high-level control signal), the first input port DI0 of the gateway device 122 is connected to the second-level signal output by the third supply line O3, and the second input port DI1 of the gateway device 122 is connected to the first-level signal output by the fourth supply line O4.
[0059] For ease of understanding, Figure 5 This provides a specific illustration of the circuit connection method in signal conversion module 12, which is described below in conjunction with... Figure 5 Detailed explanation: like Figure 5As illustrated, the potential supply circuit 1211 may include an AC (Alternating Current) to DC (Direct Current) circuit. The input terminal of the AC to DC circuit is connected to the mains power supply, and the output terminal is connected to the first supply line and the second supply line.
[0060] Specifically, one end of the AC-to-DC circuit input can be connected to the L line (Live Wire) of the AC power supply (AC 220V), and the other end can be connected to the N line (Neutral Wire) of the AC power supply, so that the AC-to-DC circuit converts the 220V AC power supplied by the AC power supply into 24V DC power. After the conversion is completed, one end of the AC-to-DC circuit outputs a high-level signal (24V), and the other end outputs a low-level signal (0V). From the end that outputs the high-level signal, the first supply line O1 and the fourth supply line O4 are branched off, and from the end that outputs the low-level signal, the second supply line O2 and the third supply line O3 are branched off.
[0061] In addition, it can also be like Figure 5 As illustrated, one end of the AC-to-DC converter that outputs a high-level signal is connected to the V+ power supply terminal of the gateway device 122, and the other end that outputs a low-level signal is connected to the V- power supply terminal of the gateway device 122, thereby supplying power to the gateway device 122. Furthermore, it can also be done as follows... Figure 5 As illustrated, a leakage current protection switch is installed between the AC to DC circuit and the mains power supply to ensure circuit safety.
[0062] exist Figure 5In the diagram, the coil control terminal A of the first relay is connected to the red light control voltage output by the red light control circuit (first output circuit) of the PLC controller 11, and the coil control terminal A of the second relay is connected to the green light control voltage output by the green light control circuit (second output circuit) of the PLC controller 11. When the unloading permission status is "unloading prohibited", the red light control voltage is high, the first control terminal C1 of the first relay is connected to the common terminal COM, so that the high-level signal of the first supply line O1 is connected to the first input port DI0 of the gateway device 122. When the green light control voltage is low, the second control terminal C2 of the second relay is connected to the common terminal COM, so that the low-level signal of the second supply line O2 is connected to the second input port DI1 of the gateway device 122. Thus, the gateway device 122 reads the first digital quantity with a first value of 1 and a second value of 0. When the unloading permission status is "unloading permitted", the red light control voltage is low, the second control terminal C2 of the first relay is connected to the common terminal COM, so that the low-level signal of the third supply line O3 is connected to the first input port DI0 of the gateway device 122. When the green light control voltage is high, the first control terminal C1 of the second relay is connected to the common terminal COM, so that the high-level signal of the fourth supply line O4 is connected to the second input port DI1 of the gateway device 122. Thus, the gateway device 122 reads the second digital quantity with a first value of 0 and a second value of 1.
[0063] For ease of understanding, Figure 6 The document provides methods for implementation. Figure 5 The actual wiring diagram shows the circuit connection method. It illustrates the gateway device, leakage protection switch, relay, AC to DC module (i.e., AC to DC circuit), and terminal block, as well as the specific connection method of each signal line leading out from the terminal block. Figure 6 The schematic diagram shows six signal lines leading out from the terminal block, from left to right: N line for mains power, L line for mains power, N line for green light control circuit, L line for green light control circuit, N line for red light control circuit, and L line for red light control circuit.
[0064] The foregoing in this application Figure 4 , Figure 5 In a corresponding embodiment, the gateway device 122 is designed to convert the level signal of the input first input port DI0 into a first value and the level signal of the input second port into a second value, thereby converting the control voltage output by the PLC controller 11 into a digital quantity containing both the first and second values. In one example, the gateway device 122 can use a digital message in the form of an MQTT message to carry the digital quantity containing the first and second values. Furthermore, in one embodiment of this application, a specific message format is designed to carry this digital quantity, which will be described in detail below: In this embodiment of the application, the MQTT message defines two content fields for carrying digital values. Each content field includes a value field and a data source field. The value fields in the two content fields are used to carry a first value and a second value, respectively, and the data source field is used to indicate whether the value carried in the value field of the current content field comes from the first input terminal DI0 or the second input terminal DI1.
[0065] After receiving an MQTT message, the control and scheduling platform 13 can read the value carried by the content field based on the numeric field, and determine whether the value is the first value or the second value according to the data source field (if the data source field indicates that the value comes from the first input terminal DI0, then the value is the first value; if the data source field indicates that the value comes from the second input terminal DI1, then the value is the second value), thereby obtaining the digital quantity containing the first value and the second value, and determining the current unloading permission status accordingly.
[0066] In one example, you can refer to Table 1 below to design the topic and message content of MQTT messages: Table 1
[0067] In MQTT messages, topics are used to manage message publishing and subscription. They can be defined according to actual needs. In the example in Table 1, the topic name is defined as "TOPIC_ULSIG_CP".
[0068] In an MQTT message, "did":"[Device Identifier]" is the device identifier field, where did is the field name, and [Device Identifier] is filled with the device identifier of the gateway device that sent the current MQTT message. "utime":"[Timestamp]" is the timestamp field, where utime is the field name, and [Timestamp] is filled with the specific timestamp of the current MQTT message.
[0069] The `content` field is the name of the message body field, followed by two content fields: `{"pid":"IO","type":"1","addr":"DI0","addrv":"[first value]","ctime":"[timestamp]"}` and `{"pid":"IO","type":"1","addr":"DI1","addrv":"[second value]","ctime":"[timestamp]"}`. In the content fields, `"pid":"IO"` is the device type field, where `pid` is the field name and `IO` is the device type identifier. `"type":"1"` is the message type field, where `type` is the field name and `1` is the message type identifier. Both `"addrv":"[first value]"` and `"addrv":"[second value]"` are numeric fields, where `addrv` is the field name. `[first value]` is filled with the first value read by the gateway device, and `[second value]` is filled with the second value read by the gateway device. "addr":"DI0" and "addr":"DI1" are both data source fields, where addr is the field name. Filling DI0 indicates that the field filled in the numeric field of the current content field comes from the first input port DI0, and filling DI1 indicates that the field filled in the numeric field of the current content field comes from the second input port DI1.
[0070] Furthermore, it's easy to understand that in practical applications, the discharge permit status of the crusher's feed port is constantly changing. Therefore, the control voltage output by the PLC controller 11 is updated in real time, and consequently, the digital value read by the gateway device 122 is also updated in real time. For example, for Figure 5 To illustrate, when the unloading permission status is "unloading prohibited," the gateway device 122 reads a first digital value of 1 and a second digital value of 0; when the unloading permission status is "unloading permitted," the gateway device 122 reads a second digital value of 0 and a second digital value of 1. Therefore, in one possible implementation of this application, to ensure that the control and scheduling platform 13 is aware of the latest unloading permission status in real time, the gateway device 122 can be configured to periodically send MQTT messages carrying the latest read data to the control and scheduling platform 13 according to a certain message update cycle. For example, the message update cycle can be set to 1 second.
[0071] When using the example in Table 1 to design MQTT messages, when the control and scheduling platform 13 receives an MQTT message, it can obtain the first value corresponding to the first input port DI0 from the content field containing "addr":"DI0", and the second value corresponding to the second input port DI1 from the content field containing "addr":"DI1", thus obtaining a numerical quantity containing the first and second values. The obtained numerical quantity can be divided into the following four cases: 1. The first value corresponding to the first input port DI0 is 1, and the second value corresponding to the second input port DI1 is 0.
[0072] 2. The first value corresponding to the first input port DI0 is 0, and the second value corresponding to the second input port DI1 is 1.
[0073] 3. The first value corresponding to the first input port DI0 is 0, and the second value corresponding to the second input port DI1 is 0.
[0074] 4. The first value corresponding to the first input port DI0 is 1, and the second value corresponding to the second input port DI1 is 1.
[0075] When signal conversion module 12 adopts Figure 5 When configured in the illustrative manner, if the digital quantity obtained by the control and scheduling platform 13 is Case 1 as described above, it means that the signal output by the PLC controller 11 is a red light voltage signal (first control voltage), and the unloading permission status is prohibited from unloading; if the digital quantity obtained by the control and scheduling platform 13 is Case 2 as described above, it means that the signal output by the PLC controller 11 is a green light voltage signal (second control voltage), and the unloading permission status is allowed to unload; if the digital quantity obtained by the control and scheduling platform 13 is Case 3 or Case 4 as described above, it means that a line fault has occurred, and the control and scheduling platform 13 can issue an alarm message to remind the relevant personnel to carry out maintenance.
[0076] To facilitate understanding, the following will be combined with Figure 7 This paper describes a possible unloading control process when using the unloading control system provided in this application to actually control the unloading operation of unmanned transport vehicles in a mine. See [link to application]. Figure 7 The unloading control process includes: First, the mine dispatch room issues an instruction to allow or prohibit unloading, instructing the PLC controller in the crusher room to output a green or red voltage signal.
[0077] Specifically, the PLC controller outputs a green light voltage signal when unloading is permitted and a red light voltage signal when unloading is prohibited.
[0078] Based on the signal conversion circuit designed in this application, the voltage signal output by the PLC controller (green light voltage signal or red light voltage signal) is connected to the 5G gateway (i.e., the gateway device) in real time. Based on the signal conversion circuit, the 5G gateway can read different digital quantities through the digital input port when the PLC controller outputs different voltage signals, and generate a data message carrying the read digital quantities.
[0079] The specific design of the signal conversion circuit, and the principle by which the 5G gateway reads different digital quantities through the digital input port when the PLC controller outputs different voltage signals, can be found in the explanation above.
[0080] After generating a data packet carrying the read digital data, the 5G gateway forwards the data packet to the business backend (unmanned transport business backend), which then forwards the data packet to the cloud scheduling platform. The cloud scheduling platform determines the current unloading permission status of the crushing inlet based on the digital data carried in the received data packet. Based on this status, the cloud scheduling platform issues an unloading permission command or a non-unloading command to the unmanned transport vehicle, causing the vehicle to travel to the crushing inlet to perform lifting unloading or stop unloading without lifting.
[0081] Specifically, when the cloud-based scheduling platform determines that the unloading permit status is "allowed to unload," it issues an unloading permit instruction to the unmanned transport vehicle, causing the unmanned transport vehicle to drive to the crushing inlet and perform lifting and unloading at the crushing inlet; when the unloading permit status is "prohibited to unload," it issues a prohibition on unloading instruction to the unmanned transport vehicle, causing the unmanned transport vehicle to stop driving towards the crushing inlet and not perform lifting and unloading.
[0082] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0083] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a related manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.
[0084] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application are included within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A material unloading control system, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a PLC controller, a signal conversion module, and a control and scheduling platform; the control signal output circuit of the PLC controller is connected to the signal conversion module, and the signal conversion module is communicatively connected to the control and scheduling platform. The PLC controller is configured to output a control voltage signal corresponding to the discharge permission status of the crushing material outlet through the control signal output circuit; the discharge permission status includes a prohibited discharge status and a permitted discharge status; The signal conversion module is configured to: convert the control voltage signal output by the PLC controller into a digital quantity according to a pre-designed conversion rule; generate a data message carrying the digital quantity; and send the data message to the control scheduling platform; wherein the digital quantity obtained by converting the first control voltage signal corresponding to the prohibited unloading state is different from the digital quantity obtained by converting the second control voltage signal corresponding to the permitted unloading state. The control and scheduling platform is configured to: determine the unloading permission status of the crushing port based on the digital quantity carried in the received data message; and control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operations based on the unloading permission status.
2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal conversion module includes a signal conversion circuit and a gateway device; the control signal output circuit is specifically connected to the signal conversion circuit. The signal conversion circuit is configured to: when the control signal output circuit outputs the first control voltage signal, output a first status indication signal to the digital input port of the gateway device; when the control signal output circuit outputs the second control voltage signal, output a second status indication signal to the digital input port of the gateway device. The gateway device is configured to: convert the status indication signal input to the digital input port into a digital quantity; generate a data packet carrying the digital quantity; and send the data packet to the control and scheduling platform; wherein the first status indication signal and the second status indication signal are designed to be converted into different digital quantities by the digital input port.
3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The signal conversion circuit includes a potential supply circuit and a relay circuit. The potential supply circuit includes a first supply line and a second supply line. The first supply line and the second supply line are respectively connected to the relay circuit. The potential supply circuit is configured to output the first status indication signal through the first supply line and output the second status indication signal through the second supply line. The relay circuit is configured to: when the voltage port outputs the first control voltage signal, control the first supply line to connect with the digital input port, so that the first status indication signal is input to the digital input port; When the control signal output circuit outputs the second control voltage signal, it controls the second supply line to connect with the digital input port, so that the second status indication signal is input to the digital input port.
4. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first supply line includes a first supply line and a second supply line, the second supply line includes a third supply line and a fourth supply line; the digital input port includes a first input port and a second input port; The potential supply circuit is specifically configured to output a first level signal through the first supply line and the fourth supply line, and to output a second level signal through the second supply line and the third supply line; The relay circuit is specifically configured such that when the voltage port outputs the first control voltage signal, it controls the first supply line to connect with the first input port, so that the first input port is connected to the first level signal, and the second supply line is connected with the second input port, so that the second input port is connected to the second level signal. When the voltage port outputs the second control voltage signal, it controls the third supply line to connect with the first input port, so that the first input port receives the second level signal; when the fourth supply line connects with the second input port, it receives the second level signal. The gateway device is specifically configured to: convert the level signal input to the first input port into a first value, convert the level signal input to the second input port into a second value, and obtain a digital quantity containing the first value and the second value; A data message carrying the digital quantity is generated and sent to the control and scheduling platform; wherein the first level signal and the second level signal are converted into different values.
5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The control signal output circuit includes a first output circuit and a second output circuit; the relay circuit includes a first relay and a second relay; the first output circuit is connected to the coil control terminal of the first relay, and the second output circuit is connected to the coil control terminal of the second relay; the first supply line is connected to the first control terminal of the first relay, the second supply line is connected to the second control terminal of the second relay, the third supply line is connected to the second control terminal of the first relay, and the fourth supply line is connected to the first control terminal of the second relay; the first input port is connected to the common terminal of the first relay, and the second input port is connected to the common terminal of the second relay. The PLC controller is specifically configured to: when the unloading permission state is the unloading prohibited state, output a high-level control voltage signal through the first output circuit and output a low-level control voltage signal through the second output circuit; when the unloading permission state is the unloading permitted state, output a low-level control voltage signal through the first output circuit and output a high-level control voltage signal through the second output circuit. The relay circuit is specifically configured as follows: when the first output circuit outputs a high-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the first relay is connected to the first control terminal, so that the first supply line is connected to the first input port; when the first output circuit outputs a low-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the first relay is connected to the second control terminal, so that the third supply line is connected to the first input port; when the second output circuit outputs a high-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the second relay is connected to the first control terminal, so that the fourth supply line is connected to the second input port; when the second output circuit outputs a low-level control voltage signal, the common terminal of the second relay is connected to the second control terminal, so that the second supply line is connected to the second input port.
6. The system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The data message is an MQTT message, which defines two content fields for carrying the numerical value. Each content field includes a value field and a data source field. The value fields in the two content fields are used to carry the first value and the second value, respectively, and the data source field is used to indicate whether the value carried in the value field of the current content field comes from the first input terminal or the second input terminal.
7. The system according to any one of claims 3-5, characterized in that, The potential supply circuit also includes an AC to DC converter circuit, the input of which is connected to the mains power supply, and the output of which is connected to the first supply line and the second supply line. The AC-to-DC circuit is configured to convert the AC signal output by the mains power supply into a DC signal, and input the converted DC signal into the first supply line and the second supply line, so that the first supply line outputs the first status indication signal and the second supply line outputs the second status indication signal.
8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The potential supply circuit also includes a leakage current protection switch; the input terminal of the AC to DC circuit is connected to the mains power supply via the leakage current protection switch.
9. The system according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The initial design purpose of the control voltage signal is to control the display status of the unloading permission status indicator. When the control signal output circuit is connected to the unloading permission status indicator, when the control signal output circuit outputs the first control voltage signal, the unloading permission status indicator displays a first display status indicating that unloading is allowed; when the control signal output circuit outputs the second control voltage signal, the unloading permission status indicator displays a second display status indicating that unloading is prohibited.
10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control and scheduling platform includes an unmanned transportation business backend and a cloud-based scheduling system; The signal conversion module is specifically configured to forward the data packet to the unmanned transportation business backend. The unmanned transportation service backend is configured to forward received data packets to the cloud-based dispatch system. The cloud-based scheduling system is configured to: determine the unloading permission status of the crushing port based on the digital quantity carried in the received data packet; when the unloading permission status is a prohibited unloading status, not control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operation at the crushing port; when the unloading permission status is a permitted unloading status, control the unmanned transport vehicle to perform unloading operation at the crushing port.