Underground drilling rigging 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 the tramming of an underground excavation rig.

Background Art

[0002] Excavation rigs are used at underground construction and mining sites. In an excavation blasting-based method, rock is excavated in rounds. A number of consecutive rounds create a tunnel with a tunnel face. A first excavation hole is drilled into the tunnel face, after which the drilled hole is charged and blasted. One round of rock material is removed during one blast. The removed rock material is carried out of the tunnel for further processing.

[0003] To excavate rock, an excavation plan may be pre-designed that includes at least one excavation pattern or drilling hole pattern. For example, information regarding the type of rock is determined. Typically, the excavation pattern is designed as an administrative task for each round. The pattern determines the target holes and thus the work tasks to be performed by the excavation rig. The pattern is provided to drill holes in the rock so that the rock excavation rig can achieve the desired round and tunnel profile.

[0004] To perform a drilling round, the drilling rig is trammed near the tunnel face to be drilled, according to the target hole pattern determined in the drilling plan. Tramming generally refers to driving the rig. After tramming the rig to its position in the tunnel for drilling, it needs to be stabilized, and the drilling unit of the drilling rig, which typically consists of a rock drill on a feed beam attached to a boom attached to a carrier, needs to be positioned in the correct position and orientation before drilling begins. If the rig is stopped at the end of the tramming phase in an orientation that does not allow for precise positioning of the drilling unit, the rig needs to be driven back and forth to obtain the correct orientation for precise positioning of the drilling unit. This is particularly difficult in narrow underground tunnels where satellite-based positioning data is unavailable and repositioning large drilling rigs is substantially more difficult than at surface work sites. [Overview of the project]

[0005] The present invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Several specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to a first embodiment, a mobile underground drilling rig is provided, 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 posture information indicating at least a target posture of the drilling unit according to an input plan, detect carrier posture information indicating the orientation of the carrier during traming of the drilling rig, determine the orientation of the drilling unit based on the detected carrier posture information during traming of the drilling rig, and generate traming support information based on the target posture information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit.

[0007] A second embodiment provides 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 comprising: receiving target posture information indicating at least a target posture of the drilling unit according to an input plan; detecting carrier posture information indicating the orientation of the carrier during traming of the drilling rig; determining the orientation of the drilling unit based on the detected carrier posture information during traming of the drilling rig; and generating traming support information based on the target posture information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit.

[0008] According to a third aspect, a control device for controlling an underground drilling rig is provided, comprising means for performing 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 being configured to cause the device to perform at least one method or an embodiment of the method using the at least one processor.

[0009] According to a fourth aspect, a computer program, a computer program product, or an (intangible) computer-readable medium is provided, which, when executed on a data processing device, includes computer program code that causes the device to perform the method or an embodiment thereof. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] An example of a drilling rig is shown. [Figure 2] Examples of top views of excavation rigs and tunnel excavation are shown. [Figure 3] Methods according to at least several embodiments are shown. [Figure 4] An illustrative display view is shown. [Figure 5] An exemplary apparatus capable of supporting at least several embodiments is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] As an example of a device 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 connected by a joint 8, namely a first / front part 2a and a second / rear part 2b. Instead of a single-piece boom, the boom 3 may comprise two or more parts or sections connected by a joint.

[0012] The boom 3 is further connected to the drilling unit 4 by at least one joint. The drilling unit 4 is equipped with a feed beam 5, and the rock drill 6 on the feed beam 5 can be moved by a feed device. In addition, a tool 7 can be attached to the drill 5, and this tool transmits the impact pulses given by the rock drill's striking device to the rock being drilled.

[0013] Please note that Figure 1 is a simplified representation and shows an example of a drilling rig with a relatively long boom. It should be understood that the features disclosed here can be applied to a wide variety of rock drilling rigs, some examples of which include tunnel development, borehole, support, in-the-hole, and top-hammer drilling rig types. For example, in the case of a borehole drill, the boom may refer to the (relatively short) support and connecting structure of the drilling unit. Depending on the type of drilling rig, rig 1 and drilling unit 4 may be equipped with various additional units and devices such as rod handling cassettes, support racks, cylinders, dust removal units, and further drilling support elements.

[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 hydraulics to operate various parts of the machine, such as the boom 3 and the feed beam 5. The drilling rig 1 may also comprise one or more other energy sources, such as an accumulator, a hydrogen container, or a fuel tank.

[0015] The rock drilling rig 1 further comprises, for example, at least one control unit 10 configured to control the actuators of the rock drilling rig 1. The control unit 10 may comprise one or more processors that execute computer program code stored in 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 a display view and other outputs for the rig's operators. In some embodiments, the control unit 10 is configured to perform at least tramping control-related operations, and one or more other control units may be present in the rig to control other operations.

[0016] During the traming phase of a drilling rig operation procedure or cycle, rig 1 may traverse in direction TD to the drilling position at the work site. Note that specific traming modes or boom and / or drilling unit positions may apply. For example, drilling unit 4 may be partially pivoted on the top of boom 3.

[0017] Figure 1 also shows examples of available movement of rig sections relative to each other, where arrow a indicates movement / relationship (horizontal / transverse or xy direction) between rig sections 2a and 2b, b indicates movement / relationship (horizontal / transverse or xy direction) between forward carrier section 2a and boom 3, c indicates movement (vertical or z direction) between forward carrier section 2a and boom 3, and d and e indicate movement / relationship (in the horizontal and vertical planes, respectively) between boom 3 and drilling unit 4. It should be understood that there may be more or fewer joints and directions of movement between rig sections, and the order of joints may differ from that shown in the example in Figure 1. For example, a bouldering rig may have additional joints within the drilling unit, and a borehole drilling rig may be configured without joints providing movement in direction b.

[0018] One or more sensors 11 may be positioned to determine the current position and orientation of boom 3 or part thereof. One or more sensors may be positioned to determine the current position and orientation of the drilling unit 4. Although Figure 1 shows only a single sensor 11, it will be understood that multiple sensors may be present. Such sensors may be positioned within the carrier 2, boom 3, and / or drilling unit 4. Detection data may be provided to a control unit 10 (or another control unit for positioning) capable of performing appropriate calculations. In an exemplary embodiment, joints are equipped with joint position sensors. Joint position sensor data from such sensors for multiple joints between the carrier 2 and the drilling unit 4 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 driller 6 (and tool 7).

[0019] The drilling rig 1 may include at least one scanner 12 for scanning the tunnel profile. In exemplary embodiments, the scanner 12 is a 3D scanner, in which case 3D scanning data, such as point cloud data, is generated. For example, the rig may include a forward scanner configured to scan the environment in the normal forward driving direction TD (and necessarily toward the sides within the scanner's reach). The rig may also include a rear scanner configured to scan the environment in the opposite direction to TD, i.e., toward 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 to the vehicle and the distance to those obstacles.

[0020] The drilling rig 1 may include various further units, such as a wireless communication unit 13 configured for data transfer with a base station and / or user devices. Thus, the communication devices may be connected to the site communication system via a wireless access point or base station 14 of a wireless access system, for example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) and / or a cellular communication network (e.g., 4G, 5G, or another generation of 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] Figure 1 provides only one example, and it should be understood that many other configurations are applicable. For example, instead of one boom, there may be two or more booms, such as three or even four booms within a single drilling rig. Boom 3 may be fitted with other types of work equipment, such as bolting units, concrete sprayers, platforms, scaling units, explosive loading units, etc. It should also be noted that the drilling rig may be unmanned. Therefore, the user interface may be located away from the rig, and the rig may be remotely controlled by an operator located in the tunnel, in a control room in the work area, or even far from the work site via a communication network.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 2 showing a top view of the tunnel and the excavation rig 1, the excavation plan (shown by dashed lines) can determine the position and orientation of the holes 200 to be excavated. The holes to be excavated may be arranged in a plurality of rows of excavation holes.

[0023] The plan can determine a plurality of target poses of the excavation unit 4, such as the position and orientation of the holes. The plan can be designed offline and off-site, for example in an office or mounted on the excavation rig. Such a plan can be transmitted to the memory of the rock excavation rig 1 via a wired or wireless connection for access by the control unit 10, or otherwise loaded into the memory of the rock excavation rig 1.

[0024] The excavation rig 1 can be trammed in the vicinity of the tunnel face to be excavated according to the target hole pattern determined in the excavation plan. After the tramning stage, a positioning stage can be performed. Thus, the boom 3 and the excavation unit 4 are controlled to position the excavation unit 4, typically the feed beam 5, at the appropriate position and alignment, and at the determined hole / target pose, based on the information of the position and orientation of the holes determined in the plan. The excavation rig 1 is also typically stabilized for excavation by a set of ground supports being pressed against the ground. The excavation unit and / or the feed beam can be positioned after stabilization or repositioned after stabilization to ensure the correct pose for excavating the first planned hole according to the excavation plan.

[0025] The excavation rig 1 can be configured to operate autonomously for at least some of the operations during the excavation work cycle. The excavation rig 1 can operate independently in its autonomous operation mode without the need for continuous user control, but may be placed under external control, for example, in response to an operator's warning or the end of an automatic operation.

[0026] The positioning of the boom and / or feed beam to achieve the target posture of the drilling unit 4 can be automated. Therefore, based on the target posture, i.e., information on the position and orientation of the hole in the plane, as well as detected information on the current position and orientation of the feed beam, the control unit 10 (or another control unit) can calculate the movement control actions (for the carrier 2, boom 3, and / or feed beam 5) necessary to reach the target posture, generate the relevant control signals, and transmit the control signals for the relevant actuators or control system elements. However, if the instrumentation cannot achieve the target posture of the drilling unit 4 due to the parking position of the drilling rig 1 (and its carrier) being restricted by the tunnel wall, autonomous positioning will fail, requiring operator intervention and causing production delays.

[0027] In some embodiments, the drilling rig 1 is configured to perform an automated drilling cycle. Drilling plans and patterns can be used as inputs for the automated control of the drilling rig 1. Based on the hole position data in the drilling plan and position data from the scanner unit, the control unit 10 can generate steering commands and associated control signals to operate the wheels to traverse the drilling rig near the target hole.

[0028] Especially with remotely controlled drilling rigs, particularly for inexperienced operators, controlling the drilling rig 1 in a narrow tunnel without colliding with the tunnel wall can be difficult based on a remotely monitored graphical user interface (GUI) view of the correct parking position where the drilling unit 4 can be properly positioned and aligned to the target attitude. If the rig stops at the end of the tramping phase and an unoptimal attitude is detected during the drilling unit positioning phase, or if an attitude is detected where correct positioning of the drilling unit is impossible, there is often not much space around the large rig to drive it back and forth at the typically very narrow end of the tunnel to obtain the appropriate attitude for correct positioning of the drilling unit. Herein, further improvements for tramping control are provided, as further shown below.

[0029] Figure 3 shows a method according to several embodiments. The method may be carried out by a device for controlling the drilling rig, such as a control unit 10 for the drilling rig 1.

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

[0031] Target posture information may be received from internal or external memory, or from another device such as a remote controller unit or work site control system device. Target posture information may be received as part of a received excavation plan or another type of tunnel system or mine plan or model, such as a tunnel plan file containing data indicating at least the tunnel line and / or other tunnel parameters. Appropriate data from the plan may be selectively (automatically) acquired in block 300 for the target posture. In an exemplary embodiment, this is based on the next excavation task performed by the rig, and the target posture information may include, or be based on, hole sequence data for the next round to be excavated. The reception / retrieval of target posture information may also be based on received positioning data indicating the current location of rig 1.

[0032] During the traming of the drilling rig, carrier attitude information indicating the orientation of the drilling rig's carriers 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 the orientation of the drilling unit based on detected carrier attitude information during the traming of the drilling rig. This may include calculating the orientation of the drilling unit based on the current orientation relationship between the drilling unit and the carrier, which in one embodiment is calculated based on the current positions of multiple joints between the carrier and the drilling unit. Block 330 includes generating traming support information based on target attitude information and the orientation of the drilling unit.

[0034] Traming support information generally refers to information applied during the traversing of a drilling rig to assist in the traversing of the rig. Depending on the applicable implementation, if the drilling rig is operated manually or traverses autonomously, traming support information may be generated to assist the operator in controlling the traversing and maneuvering of the rig, or to be used by a control unit to autonomously maneuver the drilling rig 330. Block 320 may also include determining the position of the drilling unit (or there may be further blocks), and the traming support information of block 330 may include, or be based on, the position of the drilling unit relative to the position of the drilling unit's target attitude (based on the drilling plan).

[0035] Using tramping assistance information, the underground drilling rig 1 can be further maneuvered during the tramping phase to align its positioning and orientation, such as enabling the proper posture of the drilling unit 4 for the upcoming drilling task. That is, tramping assistance information can be applied while driving, typically in very narrow tunnel conditions, i.e., when approaching a parking position for drilling, also known as a drilling position relative to the carrier, before stopping the rig and beginning the (fine) positioning of the boom and / or feed beam into the hole to be drilled. In the case of manual operation, when tramping assistance information is displayed to the operator, the operator can be assisted during the tramping phase while maneuvering the carrier 2 to the drilling position. The operator may be provided with tramping assistance information that shows how to maneuver a typically large drilling rig to optimally approach the drilling position for the upcoming drilling task in a narrow tunnel face area. Traming assistance information, or a GUI based on the assistance information, may show the current posture of the drilling unit relative to the target posture. Thus, the operator can instantly detect how the drilling unit is currently positioned relative to the hole profile (or pattern).

[0036] This feature makes it possible to reduce or avoid the need to re-enter the tramming phase due to carrier movement or re-parking after stopping at the digging position during the digging unit positioning phase, or due to failure to position the digging unit. Tramming assistance information may indicate to the operator whether corrective maneuvers and / or other rig actuator actions may need to be performed to bring the digging unit to the target attitude, or to a target attitude close to the target attitude already at the end of the tramming phase, and, in further embodiments, what corrective maneuvers and / or other rig actuator actions may need to be performed. Since the orientation of the digging unit is determined based on the orientation of the carrier, orientation sensors may be avoided in digging units (or booms) that would be more susceptible to damage. Several further exemplary embodiments are shown below, again referring to the exemplary digging rig 1 in Figure 1, with the digging plan applied as the input plan.

[0037] The deviation between the position and / or orientation information in the input plan, particularly the target attitude information, and the current position and / or orientation of one or more drilling rig sections may be determined and applied to generate tramping support information.

[0038] Between block 320 and block 330, there may be an additional block that determines the 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. Traming support information can be generated based on the determined deviation of the drilling unit orientation from the target orientation according to the drilling plan 330. The deviation may be determined based on the angular difference between the current orientation of the drilling unit 4 and the target orientation of the drilling unit (in the same reference frame). The deviation may further be based on position deviation, or it may be determined based on the drilling plan (in the target orientation), based on the drilling plan, based on the calculated difference / distance between the current position of the drilling unit and the target position of the drilling unit for initiating future drilling tasks.

[0039] The method may include generating a GUI view during or after block 330 that shows at least the current orientation and / or position of the drilling unit 4, as well as at least one target orientation. Thus, the GUI view may 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 Figure 2. The GUI view may be or include tramming assistance information provided to the operator. If the operator is already aware of this relationship during the tramming phase, the operator may already take preventative corrective control actions before stopping the rig and beginning to position the drilling unit to the hole to be drilled.

[0040] The positions and orientations of other rig components relative to the target orientation, particularly carrier 2 and / or boom 3, can also be determined and displayed. This allows for a greater understanding of the orientation of rig 1 relative to the hole being drilled, and helps in controlling the rig to approach the drilling location in the optimal orientation.

[0041] One or more parts of the drilling plan, in one embodiment, the 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 is determined in the drilling plan, the first hole to be drilled may be selected for display or highlighted in a specific color to distinguish it from other holes being displayed.

[0042] Therefore, GUI elements that model or represent at least some parts of the drilling rig, such as carrier 2, boom 3, and drilling unit 4, can be positioned within the GUI view according to the current position and orientation of each part, along with at least some information of the drilling plan, and in relation thereto. The target orientation can be visualized within the display, for example, by applying a similar form to the form of the drilling unit, and can 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 shows the deviation of the current orientation of the drilling unit 4 from at least one target orientation according to the input plan. The (deviation) GUI element may function as traction assistance information provided to the operator and may be included within a GUI view that shows the position and orientation of at least several 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 several parts of the drilling rig relative to the target orientation of the drilling unit (based on the drilling plan).

[0044] The target orientation (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 Figure 2 may indicate the intermediate (target) tunnel line, and the target orientation may be determined relative to it. The target tunnel line may be visualized in the GUI displayed during traming. The position and orientation of at least some parts of rig 1, such as carrier 2 and / or drilling unit 4, may be indicated relative to tunnel line 210.

[0045] In another example, see the exemplary GUI view in Figure 4, which shows, for example, a top view of the forward carrier portion 2a of a borehole rig and the drilling unit 4 in a tramping position. The GUI view may include a (central) tunnel line 210, which may represent the current target orientation 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 portion of the tunnel model related to the current position of the drilling rig 1, for example. Furthermore, an assist indicator 400 of the current orientation of the drilling unit is generated and displayed in the GUI view during tramping. Thus, the operator may be prompted to perform maneuvering actions to further align the lines 210, 400.

[0046] The GUI view may also include further information to assist the operator when traversing the drilling rig 1 toward the drilling position. For example, the distance to the wall of the rig section may be shown, warning indicators may be displayed, and / or steering guidance indicators may be displayed. In addition to visual traversing assistance, the associated drilling rig or remote control UI system may be configured to generate audio and / or haptic outputs based on block 330 to assist the operator.

[0047] A GUI view and its various traming support elements / indicators may be displayed and continuously updated during the traming of the drilling rig 1 to assist the operator (on-board or remotely) in controlling the traming and positioning of the drilling rig to the drilling location in order to perform drilling operations according to the drilling plan.

[0048] Therefore, block 330 may include generating support information to guide the operator. This support information may indicate how the operator should control rig 1, particularly carrier 2, during tramping to approach the position in the optimal manner (and attitude). In a simple example, a view displayed to the operator and / or a UI element (e.g., a joystick) may show at least one control action to approach the target attitude, such as the direction in which the relevant rig portion, such as carrier 2, should be controlled.

[0049] In exemplary embodiments, tramping assistance information is generated and displayed during the tramping phase based on input parameter data of the (currently) available range of movement or reach of rig sections 3, 4, and 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 indicating the available reach may be generated as tramping assistance information. Thus, block 320 may include determining available orientations, for example, as a range of available orientations, based on the detected orientation of the carrier. The available reach information and target orientation may be processed to determine whether the target orientation can be achieved with the current orientation of the carrier. The available reach information may be displayed in a GUI view and / or used for automated tramping control. This helps the operator to immediately detect whether it is possible to properly position the drilling unit to the position and orientation of the hole to be drilled with the current orientation of the carrier. The display view is continuously updated, and when the operator has accurately maneuvered the carrier, the operator can immediately see, based on the updated reach indication, whether the maneuvering action was sufficient for the drilling unit 2 to reach the hole. In another example, the GUI view indicates whether the carrier's current attitude is insufficient to reach the target attitude.

[0050] Such reach indications are particularly useful for the last meter of tramming prior to the drilling location. Such reach indications can be activated based on rig position information, for example, when the rig is less than 5 meters from the drilling location.

[0051] Traming support information may include instructions for the future path of rig 1 related to at least part of the drilling plan. These instructions may be determined based on the current position, orientation, and current state of the drilling rig portion, such as the current position, orientation, and maneuver angle or articulation angle of carrier 2. This allows the drilling plan to show where the rig will move if traming continues without further control action. A GUI view may visualize the future occupied area of ​​each rig portion by indicating the future paths of the carrier and drilling unit 4, for example, by specific splines or other types of GUI elements.

[0052] Block 330 may include generating rig maneuver control commands during tramming to autonomously control at least some portion of the drilling rig 1 during tramming. Additionally or alternatively, block 330 may include generating maneuver control support information to guide an operator to control the drilling rig. Such control commands 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 commands may be maneuver action control commands to control the maneuvering system of the carrier 2. Block 330 may be performed by an autonomous tramming or drive control module that generates maneuver control commands to tram the rig to the drilling position. The control module may, for example, apply a predetermined route to the rig and maneuver the rig to the route points of the route.

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

[0054] Furthermore, the apparatus or control unit performing the method of Figure 3 may be configured to notify and / or guide the operator during autonomous tramping in response to the fulfillment of predetermined trigger conditions requiring operator attention. This may be based on information from block 320. For example, in response to the control module detecting that the target attitude cannot be reached (in autonomous driving mode), the control unit 10 may instruct the operator to manually control the drilling rig. In another example, the control unit 10 may be configured to determine corrective control actions for one or more components of the drilling rig, and then generate a trajectory for positioning the drilling unit to the target attitude.

[0055] The target orientation may indicate, or may be determined based on, the target orientation of the feed beam 5 for drilling a set of holes or a pattern of holes determined in the drilling plan. Calculations (in or for blocks 310, 320, and / or 330) may require transformations between a (positioning) reference system, such as the 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 orientation can determine the position and orientation of the borehole in a work site / mine reference system, which may be a mine or tunnel coordinate system based on a global coordinate system. The target orientation may need to be converted to a machine / excavation rig reference system, which may be a rig coordinate system, in relation to the determination of the position and orientation of rig parts such as the carrier (part), boom, and excavation unit 4. In another embodiment, the orientation (and position) of the excavation unit in the work site / mine reference system is calculated based on a local excavation rig reference system, based on the angular relationship between the relevant rig parts and the dimensional data of the rig parts.

[0057] Carrier 2 may be equipped with a gyroscope. The orientation of the drilling unit 4 can be determined in block 320 based on the received orientation of carrier 2 obtained from the gyroscope and joint position information of multiple joints between carrier 2b and drilling unit 4. For example, the rear section 2b may be equipped with a gyroscope 15. Thus, the position of the carrier joint 8 is used as input for determining the orientation of drilling unit 4. For example, the orientation can be determined as bearing, and in the example in Figure 1, it is calculated based on the current joint position in the range of movement shown a to e. In the case of a drilling rig with an articulated carrier, the orientation can necessarily be calculated based on the position of the joint between the carrier and the drilling unit.

[0058] It should be understood that various further features may complement or differentiate at least some of the embodiments described above. For example, there may be further user interaction and / or automation functionality to further assist the tramping phase, such as detecting how the operator is approaching the target attitude, selecting appropriate actions to overcome problems during tramping, and facilitating control of the drilling rig and its various parts 2, 3, 4.

[0059] Electronic devices comprising electronic circuits may be apparatus for realizing at least some of the embodiments shown above, such as the method shown in relation to Figure 3. The apparatus may be included in at least one computing device connected to or integrated into the 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, and rock drills. Such a control system is often distributed and includes many independent modules connected, for example, by a bus system of Controller Area Network (CAN) nodes.

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

[0061] The device 50 includes a processor 51, which may include, for example, a single-core processor or a multi-core processor. The 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 consist at least in part of computer instructions for performing actions.

[0062] Device 50 may include 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 outside device 50 but accessible to the device. 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, in particular, parameter information that affects the operation of Figure 3, such as thresholds.

[0063] The memory 52 may be a non-temporary computer-readable medium containing computer program code 53, which includes computer instructions configured to be executed by the processor 51. 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 computer instructions from the memory, then the processor and / or at least one of its processing cores may be considered configured to perform that particular action. The processor, together with the memory and the computer program code, may form means for performing at least some of the above method steps within the device.

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

[0065] Device 50 may have 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 touchscreen, and / or a microphone. The UI may be configured to display a view based on the embodiment illustrated 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 tramping mode to automatic positioning at the drilling location, change the display view, and modify parameters 54 in response to user authentication and appropriate rights associated with the user.

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

[0067] The processor 51, memory 52, communication unit 55, and UI can be interconnected by internal wiring within the device 50 in a number of different ways. For example, each of the aforementioned devices may be separately connected to a master bus within the device to enable the devices to exchange information. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, this is merely an example, and depending on the embodiment, various methods can be selected to interconnect at least two of the aforementioned devices without departing from the scope of the present invention.

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

[0069] Throughout this specification, any reference to one embodiment means that certain features, structures, or characteristics described in relation to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, occurrences of the phrase "in one embodiment" or "in one embodiment" in various parts of this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. For example, where numerical values ​​are referred to using terms such as approximately or substantially, the exact numerical values ​​are also disclosed.

[0070] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or properties can be combined in any preferred manner in one or more embodiments. The foregoing description provides numerous specific details, such as examples of length, width, and shape, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be implemented without one or more of these specific details, or using other methods, components, materials, etc. In other examples, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not illustrated or described in detail to avoid obscuring embodiments 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 existence of features not listed. Features listed in dependent claims can be freely combined with each other unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, throughout this document, please understand that the use of "a" or "an," i.e., the singular form, does not exclude the plural.

[0072] While the aforementioned examples illustrate the principles of the present invention in one or more specific 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 the first end of the carrier, and a drilling unit (4) attached to the second end of the boom, wherein the control means is In accordance with the input plan, the system receives target posture information indicating at least the target posture of the drilling unit (300), During the traming of the drilling rig, current carrier attitude information indicating the orientation of the carrier is detected (310), During the traming of the drilling rig, the current orientation of the drilling unit is determined based on the detected carrier attitude information indicating the orientation of the carrier (320), and During the traversing of the drilling rig, traversing support information is generated that indicates the current posture of the drilling unit relative to the target posture of the drilling unit, based on the target posture information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit (330). During the tramping of the drilling rig, the tramping support information is applied to support the tramping of the rig. A drilling rig (1) is configured as follows.

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

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

4. The drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein the control means is configured to receive information regarding the 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 from joint position sensors of a plurality of joints between the carrier and the drilling unit.

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

6. The control means generates a graphical user interface view that shows at least the orientation of the drilling unit and at least one target posture, and The drilling rig according to claim 1, configured to display the graphical user interface view during the traversing of the drilling rig in order to assist an operator in controlling the traversing of the drilling rig to a drilling location in order to perform drilling operations according to a drilling plan.

7. The drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein generating the tramping support information (330) includes determining a control command for autonomous operation or for instructing an operator to control the operation of the drilling rig.

8. 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, (300) receiving target posture information indicating at least the target posture of the drilling unit in accordance with the input plan, During the traming of the drilling rig, the current carrier attitude information indicating the orientation of the carrier is detected (310), During the traming of the drilling rig, the current orientation of the drilling unit is determined based on the detected carrier attitude information indicating the orientation of the carrier (320), During the traversing of the drilling rig, traversing support information is generated that indicates the current posture of the drilling unit relative to the target posture of the drilling unit, based on the target posture information and the determined orientation of the drilling unit (330). During the tramping of the drilling rig, the tramping support information is applied to support the tramping of the rig. Methods that include...

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

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

11. The method according to claim 8, comprising receiving the 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 from joint position sensors of a plurality of joints between the carrier and the drilling unit.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the carrier (2) comprises a first carrier portion (2a) and a second carrier portion (2b) interconnected by a carrier joint (8), the carrier orientation information indicates the orientation of the second carrier portion (2b), and information regarding the position of the carrier joint from a joint position sensor is used as input for determining the orientation of the excavation unit.

13. To generate a graphical user interface view that shows at least the orientation of the drilling unit and at least one target orientation, The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying the graphical user interface view during the traversing of the drilling rig in order to assist the operator in controlling the traversing of the drilling rig to a drilling location in order to perform drilling operations in accordance with a drilling plan.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein generating the tramping support information includes determining a control command for autonomous operation or for instructing an operator to control the operation of the drilling rig.

15. A computer program comprising code that, when executed on a data processing device (50), causes the device to perform the method described in any one of claims 8 to 14.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in response to detecting that the target posture cannot be reached, the control means instructs to manually control the drilling rig.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control means activates a reach instruction when the rig is less than a certain distance from the drilling position.

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