Determining routes at underground work sites for mining vehicles

Abstract

According to one aspect, an apparatus may acquire map data related to a tunnel system of an underground work site; acquire start and end positions for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system; acquire vehicle information including at least kinematic and spatial constraints associated with structural members of the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility limits of the movable work device; and determine a collision-avoidance continuous route between the start and end positions for the mining vehicle based at least in part on the map data, the start and end positions, and the vehicle information, the collision-avoidance continuous route having at least one collision-avoidance position for the movable work device within the mobility limits of the movable work device along the collision-avoidance continuous route.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Various illustrative embodiments relate generally to the field of underground work sites and vehicles used therein. In particular, some illustrative embodiments relate to a solution for determining a route for a vehicle within a tunnel system of an underground work site. [Background technology]

[0002] Mining or construction excavation work sites, such as underground mines in hard or soft rock, use work machines such as loading and / or transport machines and drilling rigs, sometimes referred to as (mining) vehicles.

[0003] The vehicle may include a boom and a mining work device or work machine on the boom. The boom may be moved between different work positions during use. The boom may also have a transport position, into which the boom is moved and at which the vehicle may be moved to another location on the site. However, particularly in narrow tunnels, for example, mines and some other types of sites, there may be limited space for moving the vehicle, and there may be a risk that the boom may hit a mine wall or another obstacle during movement of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] The exemplary embodiments may provide a solution that may enable a mining vehicle to plan a collision-avoiding continuous route for traveling through a tunnel system of an underground work site. This benefit may be achieved by the features of the independent claims. Further implementations are provided in the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings.

[0006] According to a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus for a mining vehicle, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory containing computer program code configured, using the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least acquire map data related to a tunnel system of an underground work site, acquire start and end positions for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system, acquire mining vehicle information including at least kinematic and spatial constraints associated with structural members of the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility limits of the movable work device, and determine a collision-avoidance continuous route for the mining vehicle between the start and end positions based at least in part on the map data, the start and end positions, and the mining vehicle information, the collision-avoidance continuous route having at least one collision-avoidance position for the movable work device within the mobility limits of the movable work device along the collision-avoidance continuous route.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, using the at least one processor, to control at least a visualization of the determined collision-avoidance continuous route.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, using the at least one processor, to control the mining vehicle to traverse at least the determined collision-avoiding continuous route.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, using the at least one processor, to at least determine a plurality of candidate routes between the start point and the end point using at least the map data, the route start point and the route end point, and the different wall distance values; improve at least one candidate route of the plurality of candidate routes using at least the map data and the mining vehicle information while satisfying kinematic and spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle and the movable work device of the mining vehicle; and select a candidate route from the improved at least one candidate route as a collision-avoidance continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the mobility limits of the mobile work device restrict the horizontal and / or vertical mobility of the mobile work device.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the mobility limits of the mobile work device establish at least two allowable preset positions for the mobile work device.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the mobility limits of the mobile work device allow the mobile work device to be moved infinitely within the mobility limits.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the space constraints associated with the mining vehicle include separate space constraints for a rear body and a front body of the mining vehicle.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the mobile work device includes at least one boom or bucket.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the apparatus, using the at least one processor, to determine a collision avoidance continuous route at least prior to initiating the collision avoidance continuous route with the mining vehicle.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the start position and / or end position comprises a direction and / or orientation of the mining vehicle.

[0017] In one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect, the start position and / or end position include a position for each structural member of the mining vehicle and / or work device.

[0018] According to a second aspect, there is provided a mining vehicle comprising an apparatus according to the first aspect.

[0019] According to a third aspect, a method includes acquiring map data related to a tunnel system at an underground work site; acquiring start and end positions for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system; acquiring mining vehicle information including at least kinematic and spatial constraints associated with structural members of the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility limits of the movable work device; and determining a collision-avoidance continuous route between the start and end positions for the mining vehicle based at least in part on the map data, the start and end positions, and the mining vehicle information, the collision-avoidance continuous route having at least one collision-avoidance position for the movable work device within the mobility limits of the movable work device along the collision-avoidance continuous route.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the method further comprises controlling a visualization of the determined collision-avoidance continuous route.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the method further includes controlling the mining vehicle to traverse the determined collision-avoiding continuous route.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the method further includes determining a plurality of candidate routes between the start point and the end point using at least the map data, a route start point and a route end point, and different wall distance values; improving at least one candidate route of the plurality of candidate routes using at least the map data and the mining vehicle information while satisfying kinematic and spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle; and selecting a candidate route from the improved at least one candidate route as a collision-avoidance continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0023] In one exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the mobility limits of the mobile work device restrict the horizontal and / or vertical mobility of the mobile work device.

[0024] In one exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the mobility limits of the mobile work device establish at least two allowable preset positions for the mobile work device.

[0025] In one exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the mobility limits of the mobile work device allow the mobile work device to be moved infinitely within the mobility limits.

[0026] In one exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the space constraints associated with the mining vehicle include separate space constraints for a rear body and a front body of the mining vehicle.

[0027] In one exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the mobile work device includes at least one boom or bucket.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the method further includes determining a collision-avoidance continuous route before initiating the collision-avoidance continuous route with the mining vehicle.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the start position and / or end position comprises a direction and / or orientation of the mining vehicle.

[0030] In one exemplary embodiment of the third aspect, the start and / or end positions include a position for each structural member of the mining vehicle and / or work device.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect, a computer program comprises instructions for causing an apparatus to carry out the method of the third aspect.

[0032] According to a fifth aspect, a computer readable medium comprises a computer program comprising instructions for causing an apparatus to perform the method of the third aspect.

[0033] According to a sixth aspect, there is provided an apparatus comprising: means for acquiring map data related to a tunnel system of an underground work site; means for acquiring start and end positions for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system; means for acquiring mining vehicle information including at least kinematic and spatial constraints associated with structural members of the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility limits of the movable work device; and means for determining a collision-avoidance continuous route between the start and end positions for the mining vehicle based at least in part on the map data, the start and end positions, and the mining vehicle information, the collision-avoidance continuous route having at least one collision-avoidance position for the movable work device within the mobility limits of the movable work device along the collision-avoidance continuous route.

[0034] Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0035] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the exemplary embodiments and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, aid in understanding the exemplary embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example of an underground work site in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a method, according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 3A] FIG. 10 illustrates one possible working device position, according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 3B] FIG. 10 is an illustration of another possible working device position in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 3C] FIG. 10 is an illustration of another possible working device position in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 4A] FIG. 10 is an illustration of various mining vehicle characteristics in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 4B] FIG. 10 is an illustration of various mining vehicle characteristics in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 5A] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example of a two-dimensional view of a route plan in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 5B] 10 is an illustration of another example of a two-dimensional view of a route plan in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary visualization of a mining vehicle navigating a curve in a tunnel system, according to an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an apparatus configured to implement one or more exemplary embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to designate like parts.

[0038] Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description provided below in connection with the accompanying drawings is intended as a description of the examples and is not intended to represent the only manner in which the examples may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth functions of the examples and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the examples. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an underground worksite 100 according to an illustrative embodiment. The underground worksite 100 includes a tunnel system 104 comprising a network of underground tunnels. One or more mobile objects, such as a person or a mobile work machine 102, hereinafter also referred to as a vehicle or mining vehicle, may move between different areas or operating zones of the underground worksite 100. The mining vehicle 102 may be any type of mobile work machine suitable for use in mining operations, such as a trolley, dumper, van, mobile rock excavation or cutting rig, mobile reinforcement machine, truck, dumper, and bucket loader. The mining vehicle may be an autonomously operating mining vehicle or an automated mining vehicle, which, in its autonomous operating mode, may operate / drive independently without requiring continuous user control, but may be placed under external control, for example, in an emergency situation.

[0040] A three-dimensional (3D) (tunnel) model of the underground work site may be available, showing the tunnel floor, walls, and ceiling. The model may include or be formed based on point cloud data generated based on a scan of the tunnel system. The point cloud data may include multiple data points representing, for example, distances between a mining vehicle and objects in the mobile mining vehicle's environment at a particular time instance. Individual points included in the point cloud may be presented, for example, by X and Y coordinates or X, Y, and Z coordinates relative to a particular coordinate system. The 3D model may be stored in a database accessible by one or more modules of the computing device, such as a route planning module. In other embodiments, the 3D model may be a design model or may be generated based on a design model, such as a CAD model created by mine design software, or a 3D model created based on tunnel lines and profiles designed in drill and blast design software.

[0041] In complex 3D environments such as underground mines, using a full 3D model of the tunnel system may be too complex and resource-intensive. For example, more efficient vehicle route calculations may be achieved on a map representing a specific portion of the full 3D model, such as a map including only the mine floor, possibly with attributes associated with some or all of the floor points. The term floor model generally refers to a model including a set of points representing the tunnel floor in at least a horizontal plane, e.g., two-dimensional (2D) or x,y coordinates. Such points are sometimes referred to as floor points. A 3D model of a tunnel may include point cloud data generated based on a scan of the tunnel, and a floor model is a point cloud model of the floor including a subset of points extracted from the 3D point cloud data to represent the tunnel floor. The floor model may also include vertical planes, e.g., elevation or z-coordinate data and / or supplemental data for at least some of the floor points.

[0042] 2 illustrates an example of a method according to an exemplary embodiment. The method may include a computer-implemented method performed by an apparatus configured to determine a route plan, such as a server, a controller workstation, a mobile unit such as a mobile cellular device or other type of mobile communications device, an on-board control device, or any other type of suitably configured data processing device.

[0043] At 200, map data related to a tunnel system at an underground work site may be obtained. The map data may refer to, for example, a traversability map including a floor map that includes additional information regarding tunnel floor characteristics that affect the operation of a mining vehicle. The traversability map may include a floor map that has encoded therein additional information related to, for example, obstacle heights, floor slopes, clearance heights, ground quality, etc. In other words, each floor map point may or may not separately include this additional information.

[0044] At 202, start and end positions may be obtained for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system. The start and end positions may be obtained, for example, via user input from a user using an application program implementing the method or based on map data. In an exemplary embodiment, the start and / or end positions may include a direction and / or orientation of the mining vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the start and / or end positions may include a position for each structural member of the mining vehicle and / or work device.

[0045] At 204, mining vehicle information may be obtained, including at least kinematic and spatial constraints associated with the vehicle's structural members, e.g., the main moving body portion, and the vehicle's movable work device, where the kinematic constraints include mobility limits for the movable work device. The kinematic constraints may, for example, define one or more limitations on the vehicle, e.g., body swing angle, wheel swing angle, speed limit, etc. The mobility limits for the movable work device may limit the horizontal and / or vertical mobility of the movable work device. For example, the movable work device may have a predetermined number of preset horizontal positions in a horizontal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle portion or vehicle body portion to which the movable work device is connected, e.g., left, center / straight, and right. In another exemplary embodiment, mobility may be possible only in the vertical direction, e.g., with a bucket. For example, the movable work device may have a predetermined number of preset vertical positions, e.g., down, nominal, and up, e.g., relative to the ground. The nominal position may refer to a predetermined position of the movable work device relative to the mining vehicle, which allows for stable driving or tramming. The nominal position is sometimes referred to as the unadjusted position of the mobile work device. The mobile work device may be moved at least partially from the nominal position to another position, for example, to perform a task. Additionally, the mobile work device may be moved at least partially from the nominal position to another position, for example, a lower or upper position, to avoid a collision.

[0046] In another exemplary embodiment, the work device may be movable in both a horizontal plane and a vertical position. Furthermore, instead of applying preset discrete positions, the mobility may be infinitely controllable within a predetermined control range. The term "infinitely" may refer to any small, even differentially small, increments, for example, depending on the mobility limits of the movable work device. In one exemplary embodiment, the space constraints associated with the vehicle may include separate space constraints for different body portions of the vehicle. For example, a first body, such as a first carrier of the vehicle, may have a different height and / or width than a second body, such as a second carrier of the vehicle, the cabin of the vehicle may be taller than the first body and the second body, etc.

[0047] At 206, a collision avoidance continuous route between a start location and an end location for the vehicle may be determined based at least in part on the map data, the start location and the end location, and the mining vehicle information, the collision avoidance continuous route having at least one collision avoidance position for the mobile work device within the mobility limits of the mobile work device along the collision avoidance continuous route. Each location point in the collision avoidance continuous route may have at least one collision avoidance position for the mobile work device. In one exemplary embodiment, the collision avoidance continuous route may have at least one collision avoidance position for the mobile work device within the mobility limits of the mobile work device at all locations along the collision avoidance continuous route. In another exemplary embodiment, the collision avoidance continuous route may have at least one collision avoidance position for the mobile work device within the mobility limits of the mobile work device at selected locations along the collision avoidance continuous route.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, determining a collision-avoiding continuous route may be divided into a first stage and a second stage. In the first stage, multiple candidate routes between the start and end points may be determined using at least map data, a route start point, a route end point, and different wall distance values. In an exemplary embodiment, an orientation-aware A* or Theta* planning algorithm, or Dijkstra's algorithm with a meshed traversability map, may be used to find the candidate routes. In the first stage, the candidate routes may be rough approximations that are not guaranteed to be drivable by the mining vehicle. The first stage may be run multiple times with different wall distance values ​​to generate multiple candidate routes for further optimization. The wall distance value may mean, for example, that the route is not allowed to proceed within a specified distance to a wall. In the second stage, at least the map data and vehicle information may be used to improve at least one of the multiple candidate routes while satisfying kinematic and spatial constraints associated with the vehicle and its movable work devices. Improving at least one candidate route may include modifying at least one candidate route to increase the operating efficiency of the mining vehicle on the route. Improving may include, for example, optimizing the route to maximize at least one key performance indicator as a reward function, minimizing time to arrival, minimizing energy consumption, minimizing movement or maneuvering effort, maximizing distance to known obstacles, etc. For example, the second stage may take into account the acceleration and deceleration capabilities of the mining vehicle and its maximum maneuvering speed. The second stage may also include verifying that the route is collision-free by comparing the body envelope with floor details at that point in the map data. An envelope may generally refer to a 2D or 3D area that indicates the space required by a vehicle or vehicle body member at an associated route location. Thus, the envelope may extend from the exterior dimensions of the vehicle to visualize the space the vehicle is expected to require at a route point.Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the second stage may include morphing and optimizing the route spline until the candidate route meets the required drivability constraints and mining vehicle limitations. In an exemplary embodiment, the second stage may also include verifying the behavior of the safety system by applying a predicted collision envelope against the map at the planned speed to avoid unintended triggering of the safety system due to excessive situational speed. At every route point, the braking distance of the mining vehicle may be estimated based on the planned speed of the mining vehicle at that location. The mining vehicle envelope may be predicted for braking distance and verified to be collision-free. In the event of a collision, the mining vehicle's speed or route may be adjusted to achieve a collision-free continuous route. In an exemplary embodiment, the second stage may also include limiting the speed to traffic regulations and the mine's maximum speed limit when designing the machine speed for the route.

[0049] A candidate route from the improved at least one candidate route may then be selected as the collision-avoiding continuous route based on at least one criterion. The at least one criterion may include one or more criteria related to operational efficiency and / or operational safety of the mining vehicle. The at least one criterion may include, for example, at least one of fastest arrival time, maximum clearance to walls and / or obstacles, shortest distance, etc.

[0050] In one exemplary embodiment, the device may be configured to control visualization of the determined collision-avoidance continuous route. For example, the device itself may be configured to provide the visualization via an output device, e.g., a display, connected to or part of the device. In another exemplary embodiment, the device may be configured to transmit the determined collision-avoidance continuous route to another entity for visualization.

[0051] In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to control the mining vehicle to traverse the determined collision-avoiding continuous route. In one exemplary embodiment, the mining vehicle may be configured to traverse the determined collision-avoiding continuous route autonomously. In another exemplary embodiment, the mining vehicle may be an automated mining vehicle that, in its autonomous mode of operation, may operate / drive independently without requiring continuous user control, but may be under external control if necessary.

[0052] The above-described solutions may be used to provide a route for an unmanned autonomous mining vehicle to travel. In one exemplary embodiment, the autonomous mining vehicle itself may be configured to determine the route, or a determined route may be transmitted to the autonomous mining vehicle. In another exemplary embodiment, the mining vehicle may be an automated unmanned or manned mining vehicle that, in its autonomous mode of operation, may operate / drive independently without necessarily requiring continuous user control, but may be under external control.

[0053] In another exemplary embodiment, a determined route may be visualized and simulated without driving the route, which may be advantageous, for example, when demonstrating to stakeholders that a particular mining vehicle can operate within a particular tunnel system without collisions.

[0054] 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate possible work device positions according to an exemplary embodiment. A carrier 302 may be arranged to support at least one work device 300A, 300B, such as a boom. As used herein, the term "boom" may refer to a boom or arm to which a work device may be connected, or a single entity comprising both an arm and a work device. In this example, the work devices 300A, 300B have three possible preset positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the carrier 302: left, center / straight, and right. When a collision-avoiding continuous route between a start position and an end position is determined for a mining vehicle, at each location along the route, the work devices 300A, 300B may have at least one collision-avoiding position. Thus, the vehicle can travel the route without collision. The collision-avoiding continuous route may have two or more additional possible work device positions in addition to the most suitable work device position at each route point. If the vehicle comprises a first body and a second body, the collision-avoiding continuous route may have a single path for the first body and the second body, but many valid candidates for the work device location. In one exemplary embodiment, when traveling, the mining vehicle may be configured to always attempt to utilize a straight line position or to minimize the transfer of the work devices 300A, 300B from one location to another in order to maximize its stability.

[0055] 3A-3C illustrate an exemplary embodiment in which rotation or pivoting in a horizontal plane is permitted for the work devices 300A, 300B. In another exemplary embodiment, vertical movement may be permitted. For example, the work devices may have multiple different vertical positions, e.g., lower, nominal, and upper positions, e.g., relative to the ground, and in each of these positions, the work devices may be rotated or pivoted in a single horizontal plane, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3C. Furthermore, instead of rotating the work devices 300A, 300B in a horizontal plane, the work devices may have different height positions, e.g., lower, nominal, and upper, e.g., when using buckets as work devices. In other words, the vertical positions of the work devices may vary.

[0056] When controlling the vehicle based on the determined collision-avoiding continuous route, the vehicle can be controlled to freely select between valid work device positions, which gives the freedom to make smooth transitions and minimize movement / effort. A portion of the route where two or more positions are valid for the work device can be considered a transfer portion of the route where work device movement is allowed during tramming. If only a single position is possible for the work device or the transfer section is short, the mining vehicle may have to stop for a while in the transfer section to move the work device from the previously allowed position to the next position before continuing tramming.

[0057] To enable the work device to negotiate a tight curve in the tunnel system at the work site, for example, a loader may be enabled to raise its bucket to overcome a slightly higher obstacle. Furthermore, to enable the mining vehicle to travel a portion of a route in the tunnel system, multiple alternative preset positions may be defined for the boom, bucket, and implement of the mining vehicle. In another exemplary embodiment, instead of using preset positions, the boom, bucket, and implement of the mining vehicle may be controlled in a stepless manner. In one exemplary embodiment, "stepless" may refer to a solution in which control of the device is continuous between travel limits, or a solution in which there are multiple positions for the work device between travel limits.

[0058] 4A and 4B show various vehicle characteristics according to an exemplary embodiment. The illustrated mining vehicle characteristics may be considered space limitations for mining vehicle 400. The example mining vehicle of FIGS. 4A and 4B includes structural members, such as a first body and a second body. The first body may include a front carrier in the forward drive direction, and the second body may include a rear carrier following the front carrier in the forward drive direction. The first body and the second body may be coupled via an articulation joint. Thus, the first body and the second body may move relative to each other when the mining vehicle is maneuvered. Hereinafter, the first body will be referred to as the front body, and the second body will be referred to as the rear body.

[0059] 4A discloses that the mining vehicle 400 has a rear body 416, a front body 418, and a work device 420, such as a bucket. In another exemplary embodiment, the mining vehicle 400 may have only a single body. The rear body 416 and the front body 418 may be movable relative to one another by articulation points 422.

[0060] For routing purposes, the mining vehicle 400 may have different space constraints for different parts or sections of the mining vehicle 400, for example, one or more of the following: -Minimum height of rear body box: 402 -Minimum height of rear body cabin 406 -Minimum height of front body box: 408 -Minimum height of front body bucket 414 -Maximum height of front body bucket 412 -Maximum bump of rear body box 404 -Maximum bump of rear body cabin 424 -Maximum front body bump 410 -Rear body width 436 -Front body bucket width 438 -Front body width 440 - Rear body length 426 - Front body length 428 - Front body bucket length 430 - Rear body cabin length 432 - Rear body cabin width 434

[0061] When using information about the space limitations of the mining vehicle, it is possible to determine which routes the mining vehicle can and cannot travel between the start and end positions within the tunnel system. For example, the rear body of the mining vehicle may have a lower height than the rear body cabin portion. This means that the rear body may travel closer to the tunnel wall than the rear body cabin portion. Similarly, when considering the mobility of the mining vehicle's work device, the work device may be rotated, for example, in a horizontal plane, to a position that helps it travel around curved sections within the tunnel system.

[0062] FIG. 5A illustrates an example of a two-dimensional diagram of route planning according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5A illustrates the first stage of determining a collision-avoiding continuous route. In the first stage, multiple candidate routes between the start and end points can be determined using at least map data, a route start point, a route end point, and different wall distance values. FIG. 5A illustrates two candidate routes 506, 508 for a mining vehicle between a start location 500 and an end location 502. In an exemplary embodiment, an orientation-aware A* planning algorithm can be used to find the candidate routes. In the first stage, the candidate routes can be rough approximations that are not guaranteed to be drivable by the vehicle. The first stage can be run multiple times with different wall distance values ​​to generate multiple candidate routes for further optimization. The wall distance value, for example, means that the route cannot proceed within a specified distance to a wall.

[0063] FIG. 5B illustrates another example of a two-dimensional view of route planning, according to an illustrative embodiment. FIG. 5B illustrates a second stage of determining a collision-avoiding continuous route. In the second stage, at least map data related to the tunnel system and vehicle information including at least kinematic and spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle's main moving body portion and its movable work devices may be used to refine at least one candidate route among a plurality of candidate routes while satisfying the kinematic and spatial constraints associated with the vehicle and its movable work devices. The refinement may include, for example, at least one of optimizing the route to maximize at least one key performance indicator as a reward function, minimizing time to arrival, minimizing energy consumption, minimizing movement or maneuvering effort, maximizing distance to known obstacles, and the like. For example, the second stage may take into account the mining vehicle's acceleration and deceleration capabilities and maximum maneuvering speed. It may also verify that the route is collision-free by comparing the body envelope with floor details at that point in the map data. Further, the second stage may include morphing and optimizing the route spline until the candidate route satisfies the drivability constraints and mining vehicle limitations. A candidate route 510 from the improved at least one candidate route may then be selected as the collision-avoiding continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0064] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary visualization of a mining vehicle 600 traveling around a curve in a tunnel system, according to an exemplary embodiment. The mining vehicle 600 may include a first body, such as a rear body 602, a second body, such as a front body 604, and a work device 608 connected to a boom or arm 606. Reference numerals 602, 612, and 614 indicate various envelopes required by various portions of the mining vehicle 600 when traveling a planned route. Generally, the envelopes indicate the space required by the mining vehicle 600 at an associated route point. The route point or another reference point dependent on the route point may be used as a reference for the envelope. The route point or reference point may be a center point of the vehicle (or vehicle portion) from which the envelope may be generated (based on vehicle dimension data and vehicle status).

[0065] A set of envelopes within the tunnel model may be visualized to represent the vehicle's planned route trace as it travels through the route points. This may include or refer to displaying a visualization of the trace based on the set of envelopes along with (mapped to) a visualization of the associated tunnel section based on tunnel (or environmental) model data. Thus, for example, the space required by the vehicle at a set of route points along the route ahead may be shown to facilitate proactive monitoring and control of the vehicle well before it arrives at a given route point or to facilitate simulation of a planned route without traveling the route with the mining vehicle. Envelopes 610 and 612 represent the space required by rear body 602. Envelope 614 represents the space required by front body 604. Envelope 616 represents the space required by work device 608.

[0066] 7 illustrates an example of an apparatus 700 configured to implement one or more exemplary embodiments. Apparatus 700 may comprise, for example, a server, a controller workstation, a mobile unit such as a mobile cellular device or other type of mobile communications device, an on-board control device, or any other type of suitably configured data processing device configured to implement the functionality described herein. While apparatus 700 is shown as a single device, it will be understood that the functionality of apparatus 700 may be distributed across multiple devices, if desired.

[0067] The apparatus 700 may comprise at least one processor 702. The at least one processor 702 may include, for example, one or more of a variety of processing devices or processor circuits, such as, for example, a coprocessor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing circuit with or without an associated DSP, or a variety of other processing devices including integrated circuits, such as, for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a hardware accelerator, a dedicated computer chip, or the like.

[0068] The apparatus 700 may further comprise at least one memory 704. The at least one memory 704 may be configured to store, for example, computer program code, such as operating system software and application software. The at least one memory 704 may include one or more volatile memory devices, one or more non-volatile memory devices, and / or a combination thereof. For example, the at least one memory 704 may be embodied as a magnetic storage device (such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk, or a magnetic tape), a magneto-optical storage device, or a semiconductor memory (such as a mask ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable PROM (EPROM), a flash ROM, or a random access memory (RAM)).

[0069] The apparatus 700 may further comprise a communication interface 708 configured to enable the apparatus 700 to send and / or receive information to and from other devices. In one example, the apparatus 700 may use the communication interface 708 to send or receive signaling information and data according to at least one data communication or cellular communication protocol. The communication interface 708 may be configured to provide at least one wireless radio, such as, for example, a 3GPP mobile broadband connection (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G, etc.), or a wired connection.

[0070] The apparatus may further comprise a display 710, or an interface to which a display may be connected. The apparatus may further comprise an input device 712, for example a keyboard, mouse, etc., for receiving user input.

[0071] When the apparatus 700 is configured to perform a certain functionality, a component and / or components of the apparatus 700 may be configured to perform the functionality, for example, the at least one processor 702 and / or the at least one memory 704. Further, when the at least one processor 702 is configured to perform a certain functionality, the functionality may be implemented using, for example, program code 706 included in the at least one memory 704.

[0072] The functionality described herein may be performed, at least in part, by one or more computer program product components, such as software components. According to one embodiment, an apparatus may include a processor or processor circuitry, e.g., a microcontroller, configured by program code that, when executed, performs embodiments of the operations and functionality described herein. Program code 706 is provided as an example of instructions that, when executed by at least one processor 702, cause performance of an apparatus. Alternatively, or in addition, the functionality described herein may be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components. For example, without limitation, exemplary types of hardware logic components that may be used include field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-chips (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and graphics processing units (GPUs).

[0073] The apparatus 700 may be configured to perform or cause the performance of any aspect of the methods described herein. Furthermore, a computer program may include instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to perform any aspect of the methods described herein. The computer program may be stored on a computer-readable medium. Furthermore, the apparatus 700 may comprise means for performing any aspect of the methods described herein. In one example, the means comprises at least one processor 702 and at least one memory 704 including program code 706 (instructions), which, when executed by the at least one processor 702, is configured to cause the apparatus 700 to perform the method. In general, computer program instructions may be executed on a means providing general processing functionality. Thus, the method may be a computer implementation, e.g., a computer-based algorithm, executable by a general processing function, an example of which is the at least one processor 702. The means may comprise transmitting and / or receiving means, e.g., one or more wireless transmitters or receivers that may be coupled or configured to be coupled to one or more antennas, or a transmitter or receiver of a wired communication interface.

[0074] In one exemplary embodiment, apparatus 700 may be configured to: acquire map data related to a tunnel system at an underground work site; acquire start and end positions for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system; acquire mining vehicle information including at least kinematic and spatial constraints associated with structural members of the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle, the kinematic constraints including mobility limits of the movable work device; and determine a collision-avoidance continuous route between the start and end positions for the mining vehicle based at least in part on the map data, the start and end positions, and the mining vehicle information, the collision-avoidance continuous route having at least one collision-avoidance position for the movable work device within the mobility limits of the movable work device along the collision-avoidance continuous route.

[0075] In one exemplary embodiment, the device 700 may be configured to control the visualization of the determined collision-avoidance continuous route.

[0076] In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 700 may be configured to control a mining vehicle to traverse a determined collision-avoiding continuous route.

[0077] In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 700 may be configured to: determine a plurality of candidate routes between the start point and the end point using at least the map data, a route start point and a route end point, and different wall distance values; improve at least one candidate route of the plurality of candidate routes using at least the map data and the mining vehicle information while satisfying kinematic and spatial constraints associated with the mining vehicle and a movable work device of the mining vehicle; and select a candidate route from the improved at least one candidate route as a collision-avoidance continuous route based on at least one criterion.

[0078] In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 700 may be configured to determine a collision-avoidance continuous route before initiating the collision-avoidance continuous route with the mining vehicle.

[0079] One or more of the above-described examples and embodiments may enable a solution in which a mining vehicle knows what is coming based on pre-planning a collision-avoiding continuous route. Furthermore, one or more of the above-described examples and embodiments may enable a solution in which a work device can be moved at a necessary location along a route. Furthermore, one or more of the above-described examples and embodiments may enable a solution in which a mining vehicle can freely transition along a route for portions of the route where two or more positions of the work device are valid. Furthermore, a mining vehicle does not need to change the position of a work device when it is more beneficial to minimize movement. Furthermore, one or more of the above-described examples and embodiments may enable a solution in which a mining vehicle can always take all curves, even sharp curves, on the first try, thus avoiding damage to the mining vehicle or portions thereof and enabling faster travel within a tunnel system. Thus, for example, the mining vehicle operator himself does not need to make the decision to stop the vehicle and move the boom or portions thereof to another position. Furthermore, one or more of the above-described examples and embodiments may enable larger mining vehicles to be used in smaller tunnels.

[0080] Any range or device value given herein may be expanded or modified without losing the desired effect, and any embodiment may be combined with another embodiment unless otherwise specified.

[0081] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or operations, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or operations described above. Rather, the specific features and operations described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims, and other equivalent features and operations are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

[0082] It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or to several embodiments. Embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will be further understood that references to "an" item may refer to one or more of those items.

[0083] The steps or actions of the methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from any of the methods without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the above-described embodiments may be combined with aspects of any of the other described embodiments to form further embodiments without losing the desired effect.

[0084] The term "comprising" is used herein to mean including identified methods, blocks, or elements, but that such blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list and that the method or apparatus may include additional blocks or elements.

[0085] As used in this application, the term "circuitry" may refer to one or more or all of: (a) a hardware-only circuit implementation (such as an implementation in only analog and / or digital circuitry); and (b) (where applicable) a combination of hardware circuitry and software, such as (i) a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuitry and software / firmware, and (ii) software (including digital signal processors), any portion of a hardware processor with software and memory that cooperates to cause a device such as a cell phone or server to perform various functions; and (c) a hardware circuit and / or processor, such as a microprocessor or portion of a microprocessor that requires software (e.g., firmware) to operate but may be absent when not required for operation. This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of the term in this application, including any claims.

[0086] It will be understood that the above description is given by way of example only, and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of the exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art may make many modifications to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the present specification.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to determine a route plan for a mining vehicle comprising structural members and movable work devices, wherein the apparatus is At least one processor, At least one memory containing computer program code and The device comprises the at least one memory and the computer program code, and the at least one processor is used to provide the device with at least, To obtain map data related to the tunnel system at the underground work site, To obtain the start and end positions for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system, Acquiring mining vehicle information, including at least kinematic and spatial limitations related to the structural members of the mining vehicle and the movable work devices of the mining vehicle, wherein the kinematic limitations include the mobility limits of the movable work devices. Determining a collision avoidance continuous route for the mining vehicle between the start position and the end position, based at least partially on the map data, the start position and the end position, and the mining vehicle information, before the mining vehicle starts the collision avoidance continuous route, wherein the collision avoidance continuous route has at least one collision avoidance position for the movable work device within the mobility limit of the movable work device along the collision avoidance continuous route. Controlling the mining vehicle to travel along the determined collision avoidance continuous route and A device configured to perform the following action.

2. The at least one memory and the computer program code are used by the at least one processor to provide the device, Controlling the visualization of the determined collision avoidance continuous route. The apparatus according to claim 1, further configured to perform the following.

3. The at least one memory and the computer program code are used by the at least one processor to send the device to the device. Using the aforementioned map data, the route start point and route end point, and different wall distance values, a plurality of candidate routes between the start point and the end point are determined. Using at least the map data and the mining vehicle information, improve at least one of the plurality of candidate routes while satisfying the kinematic constraints and spatial constraints related to the mining vehicle and the movable work device of the mining vehicle, Selecting a candidate route from the improved at least one candidate route as the collision avoidance continuous route based on at least one criterion. The apparatus according to claim 1, further configured to perform the following.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobility limit of the movable work device limits the horizontal and / or vertical mobility of the movable work device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobility limit of the movable work device sets at least two acceptable preset positions for the movable work device.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mobility limit of the movable work device allows the movable work device to be moved steplessly within the mobility limit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spatial restriction information related to the mining vehicle includes spatial restriction information separately for the first body and the second body of the mining vehicle.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movable work device comprises at least one boom or bucket.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the starting position and / or ending position include the direction and / or orientation of the mining vehicle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the starting position and / or the ending position include the positions of each structural member of the mining vehicle and / or the work device.

11. A mining vehicle equipped with the device described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A method for determining a route plan for a mining vehicle comprising structural members and movable work devices, wherein the method is: To obtain map data related to the tunnel system at the underground work site, To obtain the start and end positions for a mining vehicle configured to operate within the tunnel system, Acquiring mining vehicle information, including at least kinematic and spatial limitations related to the structural members of the mining vehicle and the movable work devices of the mining vehicle, wherein the kinematic limitations include the mobility limits of the movable work devices. Determining a collision avoidance continuous route for the mining vehicle between the start position and the end position, based at least partially on the map data, the start position and the end position, and the mining vehicle information, before the mining vehicle starts the collision avoidance continuous route, wherein the collision avoidance continuous route has at least one collision avoidance position for the movable work device within the mobility limit of the movable work device along the collision avoidance continuous route. Controlling the mining vehicle to travel along the determined collision avoidance continuous route and Methods that include...

13. A computer program comprising instructions for causing a device to perform the method described in claim 12.

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