Underground drilling rig tramming control

Abstract

According to an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an underground drilling rig is provided, the method including receiving target attitude information indicative of at least a target attitude of a drilling unit according to an input plan, detecting carrier attitude information indicative of an orientation of a carrier during tramming of the drilling rig, determining an orientation of the drilling unit based on the detected carrier attitude information during tramming of the drilling rig, and generating tramming assistance information based on the target attitude information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to controlling tramming of underground drilling rigs. [Background technology]

[0002] Drilling rigs are used in underground construction and mining sites. In drill-blast based methods, rock is excavated in rounds. Several successive rounds produce a tunnel with a tunnel face. A first borehole is drilled into the tunnel face, after which the drilled hole is charged and blasted. One round's worth of rock material is detached during one blast. The detached rock material is transported out of the tunnel for further processing.

[0003] To drill the rock, a drilling plan is designed in advance, which may include at least one drilling pattern or borehole pattern, for example, information about the type of rock is determined. Typically, the drilling pattern is designed as a paperwork for each round. The pattern is determining the target holes and therefore the work tasks to be performed by the drilling rig. The pattern is provided to drill holes in the rock so that the rock drilling rig can achieve the desired round and tunnel profile.

[0004] To perform a drilling round, the drilling rig is trammed in the vicinity of the tunnel face to be drilled according to the target hole pattern determined in the drilling plan. Tramming may generally refer to driving the rig. After tramming the rig into position in the tunnel for drilling, the rig needs to be stabilized and the drilling unit of the drilling rig, which typically comprises a rock drill on a feed beam connected to a boom connected to a carrier, needs to be positioned in the right position and orientation before drilling can begin. If the rig is stopped at the end of the tramming phase in an attitude that does not allow for accurate positioning of the drilling unit, the rig needs to be driven back and forth to obtain the right attitude for accurate positioning of the drilling unit. This is particularly difficult in narrow underground tunnels where satellite-based positioning data is not available and repositioning of large drilling rigs is substantially more difficult than on surface work sites. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The invention is determined by the features of the independent claims. Some particular embodiments are determined in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to a first aspect, there is provided a mobile underground drilling rig comprising a carrier, at least one boom attached to a first end of the carrier, a drilling unit attached to a second end of the boom, and a control means, wherein the control means is configured to receive target attitude information indicative of at least a target attitude of the drilling unit according to an input plan, detect carrier attitude information indicative of an orientation of the carrier during tramming of the drilling rig, determine an orientation of the drilling unit based on the detected carrier attitude information during tramming of the drilling rig, and generate tramming assistance information based on the target attitude information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit.

[0007] According to a second aspect, there is provided a method for controlling an underground drilling rig comprising a carrier, at least one boom attached to a first end of the carrier, and a drilling unit attached to a second end of the boom, the method including receiving target attitude information indicative of at least a target attitude of the drilling unit according to an input plan, detecting carrier attitude information indicative of an orientation of the carrier during tramming of the drilling rig, determining an orientation of the drilling unit based on the detected carrier attitude information during tramming of the drilling rig, and generating tramming assistance information based on the target attitude information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit.

[0008] According to a third aspect, there is provided a controller for controlling an underground drilling rig, comprising means for carrying out a method or an embodiment of the method, the means may comprise at least one processor, at least one memory containing computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus, using the at least one processor, to carry out at least the method or an embodiment of the method.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect there is provided a computer program, a computer program product or a (non-tangible) computer readable medium comprising computer program code which, when executed on a data processing device, causes the device to carry out a method or an embodiment thereof. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 shows an example of a drilling rig. [Diagram 2] 1 shows an example of a top view of a drilling rig and tunnel excavation. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates a method according to at least some embodiments. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an exemplary display view. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates an example device capable of supporting at least some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] As an example of an apparatus in which at least some of the embodiments may be employed, Figure 1 shows a rock drilling rig 1 comprising a carrier 2, at least one (drilling) boom 3 rotatably mounted on the carrier and a drilling unit 4 rotatably mounted on the other end of the boom 3. In this example, the carrier comprises two parts, a first / front part 2a and a second / rear part 2b, connected by a joint 8. Instead of a single-piece boom, the boom 3 may comprise two or more parts or parts connected by joints.

[0012] The boom 3 is further connected by at least one joint to a drilling unit 4. The drilling unit 4 comprises a feed beam 5, on which a rock excavator 6 can be moved by a feed device. Furthermore, a tool 7 can be connected to the excavator 5, by means of which the impact pulses given by a striking device of the rock excavator are transmitted to the rock to be excavated.

[0013] It should be noted that FIG. 1 is simplified and represents one example of a drilling rig with a relatively long boom. It should be understood that the features just disclosed may be applied to a wide variety of rock drilling rigs, some examples of which include tunnel development, long hole, support, in-the-hole, and tophammer drilling rig types. For example, in the case of a long hole rock drill, the boom may refer to the (relatively short) support and connection structure of the drilling unit. Depending on the type of drilling rig, the rig 1 and the drilling unit 4 may comprise various further units and devices, such as rod handling cassettes, support racks, cylinders, dust removal units, further drilling support elements, etc.

[0014] The drilling rig 1 further comprises a motor 9, such as a combustion engine and / or an electric motor. The drilling rig 1 typically comprises a system of pumps for generating hydraulic pressure for operating various parts of the machine, such as actuating the boom 3 and feed beam 5, etc. The drilling rig 1 may comprise one or more other energy sources, such as accumulators, hydrogen containers, fuel tanks, etc.

[0015] The rock drilling rig 1 further comprises at least one control unit 10 configured, for example, to control actuators of the rock drilling rig 1. The control unit 10 may comprise one or more processors for executing computer program code stored in a memory. The control unit may comprise or be connected to a user interface having a display device and an operator input interface for receiving operator commands and information to the control unit 10 and for generating display views and other outputs for an operator of the rig. In some embodiments, the control unit 10 is configured to perform at least tramming control related operations, and one or more other control units may be present in the rig for controlling other operations.

[0016] In the tramming phase of the drilling rig work sequence or cycle, the rig 1 may tram in the direction TD to a drilling location on the work site. It should be noted that a particular tramming mode or boom and / or drilling unit position may be applied. For example, the drilling unit 4 may be pivoted partially on the top of the boom 3.

[0017] FIG. 1 also shows examples of available movements of the rig parts relative to each other, with arrows a indicating the movement / relationship (in the horizontal / lateral plane or in the xy direction) between the rig parts 2a, 2b, b indicating the movement / relationship (in the horizontal / lateral plane or in the xy direction) between the forward carrier part 2a and the boom 3, c indicating the movement (in the vertical plane or in the z direction) between the forward carrier part 2a and the boom 3, and d and e indicating the movement / relationship (in the horizontal and vertical planes, respectively) between the boom 3 and the drilling unit 4. It should be understood that there may be more or fewer joints and movement directions between the rig parts, and the order of the joints may be different from that shown in the example of FIG. 1. For example, a bolting rig may be equipped with additional joints in the drilling unit, and a long-hole drilling rig may be configured without a joint providing a movement in the b direction.

[0018] One or more sensors 11 may be arranged to determine the current position and orientation of the boom 3 or parts thereof. One or more sensors may be arranged to determine the current position and orientation of the drilling unit 4. Although FIG. 1 shows only a single sensor 11, it will be understood that there may be multiple sensors. Such sensors may be positioned in the carrier 2, the boom 3, and / or the drilling unit 4. The sensed data may be provided to the control unit 10 (or another control unit for positioning), which may perform appropriate calculations. In an exemplary embodiment, the joints are equipped with joint position sensors. Joint position sensor data of multiple joints between the carrier 2 and the drilling unit 4 from such sensors is applied to determine the position and orientation of the drilling unit 4 relative to the carrier 2. The orientation of the drilling unit 4 may also determine the orientation of the feed beam 5 and the excavator 6 (and tool 7).

[0019] The drilling rig 1 may comprise at least one scanner 12 for scanning the tunnel profile. In an exemplary embodiment, the scanner 12 is a 3D scanner, in which case 3D scan data, such as point cloud data, are generated. For example, the rig may comprise a forward scanner configured to scan the environment towards the normal forward driving direction TD (and necessarily towards the side within the reach of the scanner). The rig may also comprise a rear scanner configured to scan the environment in the direction opposite to TD, i.e. towards the rear of the vehicle. The scanner 12 may be a laser scanner or another type of sensor device, such as a 4D or another type of radar, suitable for determining obstacles and distances to the obstacles of the vehicle.

[0020] The drilling rig 1 may comprise various further units, such as a wireless communication unit 13 configured for data transfer with a base station and / or a user device. The communication device may thus be connected to a work site communication system via a wireless access point or base station 14 of a wireless access system comprising, for example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) and / or a cellular communication network (e.g., a 4G, 5G or another generation cellular network). For example, the drilling rig may be remotely monitored and controlled based on status data from the drilling rig and control data from a remote controller unit.

[0021] It should be understood that FIG. 1 provides only one example and many other configurations are applicable. For example, instead of one boom, there may be two booms or more than two booms, such as three or even four booms in a single drilling rig. The boom 3 may be fitted with other types of implements, such as bolting units, concrete sprayers, platforms, scaling units, explosives loading units, etc. It should also be noted that the drilling rig may be unmanned. Thus, the user interface may be remote from the rig and the rig may be remotely controlled by an operator in a control room in the tunnel or in the work site area, or even remotely from the work site via a communication network.

[0022] 2, which shows a top view of the tunnel and drilling rig 1, a drilling plan (shown in dashed lines) may determine the location and orientation of the holes to be drilled 200. The holes to be drilled may be arranged in multiple borehole rows.

[0023] The plan may determine multiple target attitudes of the drilling unit 4, such as hole position and orientation. Plans may be designed offline and off-site, for example in an office or on board the drilling rig. Such plans may be transmitted to or otherwise loaded into the memory of the rock drilling rig 1 via a wired or wireless connection for access by the control unit 10.

[0024] The drilling rig 1 may be trammed in the vicinity of the tunnel face to be drilled according to the target hole pattern determined in the drilling plan. After the tramming phase, a positioning phase may be performed. Thus, the boom 3 and the drilling unit 4 are controlled to position the drilling unit 4, typically the feed beam 5, in the determined hole / target attitude, in the proper position and alignment based on the hole position and orientation information determined in the plan. The drilling rig 1 is also stabilized for drilling, typically by a set of ground supports being pressed against the ground. The drilling unit and / or the feed beam may be positioned after stabilization or repositioned after stabilization to ensure the correct attitude for drilling the first planned hole according to the drilling plan.

[0025] The drilling rig 1 may be configured to operate at least some operations autonomously, such as at least some of the operations of a drilling work cycle. In its autonomous mode of operation, the drilling rig 1 may operate independently without continuous user control, but may be placed under external control, for example, in response to an operator alert or termination of automatic operation.

[0026] The positioning of the boom and / or feed beam to achieve the target attitude of the drilling unit 4 may be automated. Thus, based on the information of the target attitude, i.e. the position and orientation of the hole in the plane, and the detected information of the current position and orientation of the feed beam, the control unit 10 (or another control unit) may calculate the necessary movement control actions (for the carrier 2, the boom 3, and / or the feed beam 5) to reach the target attitude, generate the relevant control signals, and send the control signals of the relevant actuators or control system elements. However, if the instrumentation is unable to achieve the target attitude of the drilling unit 4 due to the parking position of the drilling rig 1 (and its carrier) being restricted by the tunnel wall, the autonomous positioning will fail, requiring operator intervention and causing production delays.

[0027] In some embodiments, the drilling rig 1 is configured to perform an automatic drilling cycle. The drilling plan and pattern may be used as input for automatic control of the drilling rig 1. Based on the hole position data in the drilling plan and the position data from the scanner unit, the control unit 10 may generate steering commands and associated control signals for operating the wheels to tram the drilling rig near the target hole.

[0028] Especially in the case of remotely controlled drilling rigs, it can be difficult, especially for an inexperienced operator, to control the drilling rig 1 in a narrow tunnel without colliding with the tunnel wall, based on a remotely monitored graphical user interface (GUI) view to the correct parking position where the drilling unit 4 can be properly positioned and aligned to the target pose. If the rig stops at the end of the tramming phase and a non-optimal pose is detected in the positioning phase of the drilling unit, or a pose where correct positioning of the drilling unit is not possible, there is often not much space around the large rig to drive back and forth at the typically very narrow end of the tunnel to obtain a suitable pose for correctly positioning the drilling unit. Here, a further improvement for tramming control is provided, which is further shown below.

[0029] 3 shows a method according to some embodiments. The method may be performed by an apparatus for controlling a drilling rig, such as a control unit 10 of the drilling rig 1.

[0030] The method includes receiving 300 target attitude information indicative of at least a target attitude of a drilling unit, such as drilling unit 4, according to an input plan, in some embodiments a drilling plan.

[0031] The target attitude information may be received from an internal or external memory, or from another device, such as a remote controller unit or worksite control system device. The target attitude information may be received as part of a received drilling plan or another type of tunnel system or mine plan or model, such as a tunnel plan file that includes data indicative of at least the tunnel line and / or other tunnel parameters. Appropriate data of the plan may be selectively (automatically) obtained in block 300 for the target attitude. In an exemplary embodiment, this is based on the next drilling task to be performed by the rig, and the target attitude information may include or be based on hole sequence data for the next round to be drilled. Receiving / retrieving the target attitude information may be based on received positioning data indicating the current location of rig 1.

[0032] During drilling rig tramming, carrier attitude information indicative of the orientation of the drilling rig's carrier is detected 310. This information may be received from a carrier attitude information source such as a gyroscope or magnetometer.

[0033] Block 320 includes determining an orientation of the drilling unit based on the detected carrier attitude information during tramming of the drilling rig. This may include calculating an orientation of the drilling unit based on a current orientation relationship between the drilling unit and the carrier, which in one embodiment is calculated based on current positions of a plurality of joints between the carrier and the drilling unit. Block 330 includes generating tramming assistance information based on the target attitude information and the orientation of the drilling unit.

[0034] Tramming assistance information generally refers to information applied during tramming of a drilling rig to assist in tramming the rig. Depending on the implementation applied, if the drilling rig is operated manually or tramming autonomously, tramming assistance information may be generated 330 to assist an operator in controlling the tramming and steering of the rig or to be used by a control unit to autonomously steer the drilling rig. Block 320 may also include determining a position of the drilling unit (or there may be additional blocks), and the tramming assistance information of block 330 may include or be based on a position of the drilling unit relative to a target pose position of the drilling unit (based on the drilling plan).

[0035] With the tramming assistance information, the underground drilling rig 1 can be further steered to be positioned and oriented, such as to enable a proper attitude of the drilling unit 4 for the upcoming drilling task already during the tramming phase. That is, the tramming assistance information can be applied during driving, typically in very narrow tunnel conditions, i.e. when approaching a parking position for drilling, which may also be called a drilling position relative to the carrier, before stopping the rig and starting the (fine) positioning of the boom and / or feed beam to the hole to be drilled. In case of manual operation, the operator can already be assisted during the tramming phase when maneuvering the carrier 2 to the drilling position, when the tramming assistance information is displayed to the operator. The operator can be provided with the tramming assistance information showing how a typically large drilling rig should be steered to optimally approach the drilling position for the upcoming drilling task in the narrow tunnel face area. The tramming assistance information, or a GUI based on the assistance information, can show the current attitude of the drilling unit relative to the target attitude. Thus, the operator can instantly detect how the drilling unit is currently positioned relative to the hole profile (or pattern).

[0036] This feature allows reducing or avoiding having to move or repark the carrier after stopping at the drilling position during the drilling unit positioning phase, or having to re-enter the tramming phase due to failure to position the drilling unit. The tramming assistance information may indicate to the operator whether and in further embodiments what corrective maneuvers and / or other rig actuator actions may need to be performed to bring the drilling unit to a target attitude or to a target attitude close to the target attitude already at the end of the tramming phase. Since the orientation of the drilling unit is determined based on the orientation of the carrier, an orientation sensor may be avoided for drilling units (or booms) that may be more susceptible to damage. Some further exemplary embodiments are illustrated below, also with reference to the exemplary drilling rig 1 of FIG. 1 and applying the drilling plan as an input plan.

[0037] Deviations between position and / or orientation information in the input plan, particularly target attitude information, and the current positions and / or orientations of one or more drilling rig parts may be determined and applied to generate tramming assistance information.

[0038] Between blocks 320 and 330 there may be an additional block for determining a deviation of the (current) orientation of the drilling unit 4 from at least one target orientation based on the determined (320) orientation of the drilling unit and the detected (300) target orientation information. Tramming support information may be generated based on the determined deviation of the orientation of the drilling unit from the target orientation according to the drilling plan 330. The deviation may be determined based on an angle difference between the current orientation of the drilling unit 4 and the target orientation of the drilling unit (in the same reference system). The deviation may further be based on a position deviation, determined based on a calculated difference / distance between the current position of the drilling unit and the target position of the drilling unit for starting the upcoming drilling task, or determined (in the target orientation) based on the drilling plan.

[0039] The method may include generating a GUI view during or after block 330, showing at least the current orientation and / or position of the drilling unit 4 and at least one target pose. The GUI view may thus show how the drilling unit is currently positioned, taking into account the approaching work task and the hole to be drilled. For example, a GUI view may be generated that includes at least the elements shown in FIG. 2. The GUI view may be or include tramming support information provided to the operator. When the operator is already aware of this relationship during the tramming phase, he may already take preventive corrective control actions before stopping the rig and starting to position the drilling unit to the hole to be drilled.

[0040] The position and orientation of other rig parts, in particular the carrier 2 and / or the boom 3, relative to the target pose can also be determined and displayed, allowing for further awareness of how the rig 1 is oriented relative to the hole to be drilled, and helping to control the rig to approach the drilling location in an optimal pose.

[0041] One or more portions of the drilling plan, in one embodiment, a profile of at least one hole in the next round to be drilled, may be selectively displayed during the tramming phase. Various display effects may be utilized. For example, if the drilling sequence has been determined in the drilling plan, the first hole to be drilled may be selected for display or may be highlighted, for example, in a particular color that is distinct from the other holes being displayed.

[0042] Thus, GUI elements modeling or illustrating at least some parts of the drilling rig, such as the carrier 2, the boom 3, and the drilling unit 4, may be positioned within the GUI view with and in relation to at least some information of the drilling plan according to the current positions and orientations of the respective parts. The target pose may be visualized within the display, for example, by applying morphology similar to that of the drilling unit, and may be positioned and oriented within the display according to the position and orientation of the hole to be drilled.

[0043] Based on the determined deviation, a GUI element may be generated that indicates the deviation of the current orientation of the drilling unit 4 from at least one target pose according to the input plan. The (deviation) GUI element may serve as tramming support information provided to the operator and may be included in a GUI view that shows the position and orientation of at least some parts 2, 3, 4 of the drilling rig relative to at least a part of the drilling plan. The deviation may be visualized in various ways. In a simple example, the deviation is determined based on the position and orientation of at least some parts of the drilling rig relative to a target pose of the drilling unit (based on the drilling plan).

[0044] The target pose (of the drilling unit) may be indicated or determined based on the target tunnel line determined in the input plan. For example, line 210 in FIG. 2 may indicate an intermediate (target) tunnel line, relative to which the target pose may be determined. The target tunnel line may be visualized in a GUI displayed during tramming. The position and orientation of at least some parts of the rig 1, such as the carrier 2 and / or the drilling unit 4, may be displayed relative to the tunnel line 210.

[0045] In another example, reference is made to the exemplary GUI view of FIG. 4, which shows a top view of the forward carrier part 2a and the drilling unit 4 of the longhole rig, for example in the tramming position. The GUI view may include a (central) tunnel line 210, which may represent the current target pose of the drilling unit 4 according to the input plan. The GUI view may include tunnel walls 220a, 220b, which may be displayed based on a part of the tunnel model related to the current position of the drilling rig 1, for example. Furthermore, a support indicator 400 of the current orientation of the drilling unit is generated and displayed within the GUI view during tramming. Thus, the operator may be prompted to perform a steering action to further align the lines 210, 400.

[0046] The GUI view may also include further information to assist the operator in tramming the drilling rig 1 towards the drilling location. For example, distance to the rig section wall may be indicated, warning indicators may be displayed, and / or maneuver guidance indicators may be displayed. In addition to visual tramming assistance, an associated drilling rig or remote control UI system may be configured to generate audio and / or tactile outputs to assist the operator based on block 330.

[0047] The GUI view and its various tramming support elements / indicators may be displayed and continuously updated during tramming of the drilling rig 1 to assist an operator (on-board or remote) in controlling the tramming and positioning of the drilling rig to a drilling position to perform drilling operations according to the drilling plan.

[0048] Thus, block 330 may include generating assistance information for guiding the operator. The assistance information may indicate how the operator should control the rig 1, and in particular the carrier 2, during tramming to approach the position in an optimal manner (and attitude). In a simple example, a view displayed to the operator and / or a UI element (e.g., a joystick) may indicate at least one control action for approaching the target attitude, such as the direction in which the relevant rig part, such as the carrier 2, should be controlled.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, the tramming assistance information is generated and displayed during the tramming phase based on input parameter data of the (currently) available range of movement or reach of the rig parts 3, 4, 5. The control unit 10 may calculate the current maximum reach of the drilling unit 4 based on the available range of the joint between the carrier 2 and the drilling unit 4. Based on the current position and orientation of the carrier, information indicative of the available reach may be generated as tramming assistance information. Thus, block 320 may include determining an available orientation based on the detected orientation of the carrier, e.g. as a range of available orientations. The available reach information and the target attitude may be processed to determine whether the target attitude can be achieved with the current carrier orientation. The available reach information may be displayed in a GUI view and / or used for automated tramming control. This helps the operator to instantly detect whether the current attitude of the carrier allows the drilling unit to be properly positioned at the position and orientation of the hole to be drilled. The display view is continuously updated, and when the operator has steered the carrier accurately, the operator may immediately notice whether the steering action was sufficient to reach the hole with the drilling unit 2 based on the updated reach indication. In another example, the GUI view indicates whether the target pose cannot be reached at the current pose of the carrier.

[0050] Such reach instructions are particularly useful for the last meters of tramming before the drilling position. Such reach instructions may be activated based on rig position information, for example when the rig is less than 5 meters from the drilling position.

[0051] The tramming support information may include instructions for a future path of the rig 1 related to at least a part of the drilling plan. The instructions may be determined based on the current state of the drilling rig parts, such as the current position, orientation, and steering or articulation angles of the carrier 2. This allows the drilling plan to be shown where the rig will move if tramming continues without further control actions. The GUI view may show the future paths of the carrier and the drilling unit 4, for example by means of a specific spline or other type of GUI element, to visualize the future occupancy area of ​​the respective rig parts.

[0052] Block 330 may include generating rig steering control instructions during tramming to autonomously control at least some parts of the drilling rig 1 during tramming. Additionally or alternatively, block 330 may include generating steering control assistance information to guide an operator to control the drilling rig. Such control instructions may be generated based on the difference between the current position and orientation of the drilling unit 4 and the position and orientation of the target attitude. Such control instructions may be steering motion control instructions for controlling the steering system of the carrier 2. Block 330 may be executed by an autonomous tramming or drive control module that generates steering control instructions for tramming the rig to the drilling position. The control module may, for example, apply a pre-determined route to the rig and steer the rig to a route point of the route.

[0053] The rig control command may include determining a required movement path, i.e., trajectory, of the carrier to reach the target attitude of the drilling unit 4 or at least reduce the deviation determined in block 330. Thus, the autonomous tramming or drive control module may apply the target attitude, the carrier's orientation, and the available reach information to determine a steering action control orientation of the carrier (or carrier portion), thereby facilitating alignment of the drilling unit to the target attitude. Based on the rig control command, during or after block 330, control signals may be generated for associated actuators, such as steering control system actuators. The control signals may then be transmitted to associated actuators or control system elements. For example, control signals may be transmitted from the control unit 10 to actuators of joints 8 to change the rig's articulation angles and drive directions, thereby facilitating alignment of the drilling unit to the target attitude.

[0054] Further, the device or control unit performing the method of FIG. 3 may be configured to notify and / or guide the operator during autonomous tramming in response to a predetermined trigger condition requiring the operator's attention being met. This may be based on information based on block 320. For example, in response to the control module detecting that the target attitude cannot be reached (in the autonomous driving mode), the control unit 10 may instruct the operator to manually control the drilling rig. In another example, the control unit 10 is configured to determine corrective control actions of one or more components of the drilling rig, after which a trajectory for positioning the drilling unit at the target attitude may be generated.

[0055] The target pose may indicate or be determined based on a target orientation of the feed beam 5 for drilling a set of holes or a hole pattern determined in the drilling plan. The calculations (at or for blocks 310, 320, and / or 330) may require transformations between a (positioning) reference system, such as a local drilling rig reference system, and a work site or global reference system. Thus, one or more transformations between coordinate systems may be performed.

[0056] The target pose may determine the position and orientation of the hole in a work site / mine reference system, which may be a mine or tunnel coordinate system, which may be based on a global coordinate system. The target pose may need to be transformed to a machine / drilling rig reference system, which may be a rig coordinate system, in relation to which the positions and orientations of rig parts such as the carrier (part), boom, and drilling unit 4 may be determined. In another embodiment, the orientation (and position) of the drilling unit in the work site / mine reference system is calculated based on a local drilling rig reference system, based on the angular relationship between the associated rig part and the dimensional data of the rig part.

[0057] The carrier 2 may be equipped with a gyroscope. The orientation of the drilling unit 4 may be determined in block 320 based on the received orientation of the carrier 2 obtained from the gyroscope and the joint position information of the multiple joints between the carrier 2b and the drilling unit 4. For example, the rear part 2b may be equipped with a gyroscope 15. Thus, the position of the carrier joint 8 is used as an input for determining the orientation of the drilling unit 4. For example, the orientation may be determined as an azimuth, which in the example of FIG. 1 is calculated based on the current joint positions of the movement ranges shown by a-e. In the case of a drilling rig with a non-articulated carrier, the orientation may necessarily be calculated based on the positions of the joints between the carrier and the drilling unit.

[0058] It should be appreciated that various further features may complement or differentiate at least some of the above embodiments. For example, there may be further user interaction and / or automation functionality to further assist the tramming phase, such as facilitating the operator to detect, for example, how to approach the target pose, select appropriate actions to overcome problems during tramming, and control the drilling rig and its various parts 2, 3, 4.

[0059] The electronic device comprising the electronic circuitry may be an apparatus for implementing at least some of the embodiments illustrated above, such as the method illustrated in relation to Fig. 3. The apparatus may be included in at least one computing device connected to or integrated with a control system of the rock drilling rig. Such a control system may be an intelligent on-board control system that controls the operation of various subsystems of the rock drilling rig, such as hydraulic systems, motors, rock drills, etc. Such control systems are often distributed and include many independent modules connected by, for example, a bus system of Controller Area Network (CAN) nodes.

[0060] 5 illustrates a simplified exemplary apparatus that can support at least some embodiments of the present invention. Shown is a device 50 that can be configured to perform at least some of the embodiments related to tramming-related operations of a drilling rig described above. The device 50 can include or implement the control unit 10.

[0061] Within device 50 is provided processor 51, which may include, for example, a single-core processor or a multi-core processor. Processor 51 may include one or more processors. The processor may include at least one application specific integrated circuit, ASIC. The processor may include at least one field programmable gate array, FPGA. The processor may be configured, at least in part, with computer instructions to perform actions.

[0062] The device 50 may comprise a memory 52. ​​The memory may include random access memory and / or persistent memory. The memory may be at least partially accessible to the processor 51. The memory may be at least partially contained within the processor 51. The memory may be at least partially external to the device 50 but accessible to the device. The memory 52 may be a means for storing information such as parameters 54 that affect the operation of the device. The parameter information may include, inter alia, parameter information that affects the operation of FIG. 3, such as threshold values.

[0063] The memory 52 may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program code 53 including computer instructions configured for the processor 51 to execute. If computer instructions configured to cause the processor to perform a particular action are stored in the memory and the entire device is configured to operate under the direction of the processor using the computer instructions from the memory, the processor and / or at least one processing core thereof may be considered to be configured to perform the particular action. The processor together with the memory and the computer program code may form a means for performing at least some of the above-mentioned method steps in the device.

[0064] The device 50 may comprise a communication unit 55 comprising a transmitter and / or a receiver. The transmitter and receiver may be configured to transmit and receive, respectively, data and control commands, i.e., within the drilling rig 1 or outside the drilling rig 1. The transmitter and / or receiver may be configured to operate, for example, according to the Global System for Mobile Communications, GSM, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, WCDMA, Long Term Evolution, LTE, 3GPP New Radio Access Technology (N-RAT), Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN, and / or Ethernet standards. The device 50 may comprise an NFC transceiver, which is a near field communication. The NFC transceiver may support at least one NFC technology, such as NFC, Bluetooth, or a similar technology.

[0065] The device 50 may include or be connected to a UI component. The UI may include at least one of a display 56, a speaker, an input device 57 such as a keyboard, a joystick, a touch screen, and / or a microphone. The UI may be configured to display a view based on the illustrated embodiments above. A user may operate the device and control at least some of the features shown above. In some embodiments, a user may control the apparatus 30 or rig 1 via the UI to, for example, manually operate the boom, input steering control actions for the carrier 2, change the operating mode of the drilling rig, for example, from a tramming mode to automatic positioning at a drilling position, change the display view, modify parameters 54 in response to user authentication and proper rights associated with the user, etc.

[0066] The device 50 may further comprise and / or be connected to further units, devices and systems, such as one or more sensor devices 58 for sensing the environment of the device 50 and / or the joint position detection sensor device.

[0067] The processor 51, the memory 52, the communication unit 55, and the UI may be interconnected by conductors inside the device 50 in many different ways. For example, each of the aforementioned devices may be separately connected to a master bus inside the device, allowing the devices to exchange information. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this is only one example, and depending on the embodiment, various ways of interconnecting at least two of the aforementioned devices may be selected without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0068] It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments of the invention are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but extend to equivalents thereof as recognized by those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the terminology employed herein is used solely for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0069] Reference to an embodiment or an embodiment throughout this specification means that the particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in one embodiment" in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. For example, when a numerical value is referred to using a term such as about or substantially, the exact numerical value is also disclosed.

[0070] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the foregoing description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0071] The verbs "to comprise" and "to include" are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the presence of unrecited features. Features recited in dependent claims may be freely combined with each other, unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, it is to be understood that throughout this document the use of "a" or "an", i.e. the singular, does not exclude a plurality.

[0072] While the foregoing examples illustrate the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications can be made without departing from the principles and concepts of the present invention as defined by the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. A drilling rig (1) comprising a carrier (2), at least one boom (3) attached to a first end of the carrier, and a drilling unit (4) attached to a second end of the boom, and a control means, the control means comprising: receiving (300) target attitude information indicative of at least a target attitude of the drilling unit according to an input plan; Detecting (310) carrier attitude information indicative of an orientation of the carrier while tramming the drilling rig; determining (320) an orientation of the drilling unit based on detected carrier attitude information indicating the orientation of the carrier during tramming of the drilling rig; and generating tramming assistance information based on the target attitude information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit during tramming of the drilling rig (330); The drilling rig (1) is configured as follows.

2. 2. The drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the drilling unit (4) comprises a rock drill (6) mounted on a feed beam (5) rotatably coupled to the boom (3), and the input plan comprises a drilling plan including a target position and orientation for each hole of a set of holes to be drilled, and the target attitude information indicates or has been determined based on a target orientation of the feed beam for drilling holes of the set of holes.

3. 2. The drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein the control means is configured to determine a deviation of the drilling unit (4) from at least one target attitude based on the determined orientation of the drilling unit and the target attitude information, and to generate the tramming support information based on the determined deviation of the orientation of the drilling unit from the at least one target attitude.

4. 2. The drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein the control means is configured to receive information regarding an orientation of the carrier (2) from a gyroscope provided on the carrier, and to determine the orientation of the drilling unit (4) based on the received information regarding the orientation of the carrier and joint position information of a plurality of joints between the carrier and the drilling unit.

5. 2. The drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (2) comprises a first carrier part (2a) and a second carrier part (2b) interconnected by a carrier joint (8), the carrier attitude information indicating an orientation of the first carrier part, and the control means is configured to use information regarding the position of the carrier joint as an input for determining the orientation of the drilling unit.

6. the control means generating a graphical user interface view indicative of at least the orientation and at least one target pose of the drilling unit; and 2. The drilling rig of claim 1, configured to display the graphical user interface view during the tramming of the drilling rig to assist an operator in controlling the tramming of the drilling rig to a drilling position for performing drilling operations according to a drilling plan.

7. 2. The drilling rig of claim 1, wherein generating (330) the tramming assistance information comprises determining steering control commands for autonomous operation or for guiding an operator to control steering of the drilling rig.

8. 1. A method for controlling a drilling rig (1) comprising a carrier (2), at least one boom (3) attached to a first end of the carrier, and a drilling unit (4) attached to a second end of the boom, comprising: receiving (300) target attitude information indicative of at least a target attitude of the drilling unit according to an input plan; Detecting carrier attitude information indicative of an orientation of the carrier during tramming of the drilling rig (310); determining (320) an orientation of the drilling unit based on detected carrier attitude information indicating the orientation of the carrier during tramming of the drilling rig; generating tramming assistance information based on the target attitude information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit during tramming of the drilling rig (330); A method comprising:

9. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the drilling unit comprises a rock drill (6) mounted on a feed beam (5) rotatably coupled to the boom (3), and the input plan includes a drilling plan including a target position and orientation for each hole of a set of holes to be drilled, and the target attitude information indicates or has been determined based on a target orientation of the feed beam for drilling holes of the set of holes.

10. 9. The method according to claim 8, comprising: determining a deviation of the drilling unit (4) from at least one target attitude based on the determined orientation of the drilling unit and the target attitude information; and generating the tramming assistance information based on the determined deviation of the orientation of the drilling unit from the at least one target attitude.

11. 9. The method of claim 8, comprising: receiving an orientation of the carrier from a gyroscope provided on the carrier (2); and determining the orientation of the drilling unit (4) based on the received orientation of the carrier and joint position information of a plurality of joints between the carrier and the drilling unit.

12. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the carrier (2) comprises a first carrier part (2a) and a second carrier part (2b) interconnected by a carrier joint (8), the carrier attitude information indicating an orientation of the first carrier part, and information regarding the position of the carrier joint is used as an input for determining the orientation of the drilling unit.

13. generating a graphical user interface view indicative of at least the orientation and at least one target pose of the drilling unit; and displaying the graphical user interface view during the tramming of the drilling rig to assist an operator in controlling the tramming of the drilling rig to a drilling position for performing drilling operations according to a drilling plan.

14. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the tramming assistance information comprises determining steering control commands for autonomous operation or for guiding an operator to control steering of the drilling rig.

15. A computer program comprising code for causing the computer to carry out the method according to any one of claims 8 to 14 when the computer program is executed on a data processing device (50).

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