Electronic Detonator Firing Synchronization via Wireless Command Sequences
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firing systems for electronic detonators face reliability issues due to signal degradation and interference in wired and wireless communication, leading to inconsistent reception of firing instructions and potential system faults.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a sequence of firing commands with associated synchronization periods, where a reception device receives and processes these commands to ensure synchronized countdowns of firing delays across all detonators, improving the reliability of the firing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wired communication is used to link electronic detonators to control console, then communication reliability is improved, but signal degradation and interference occur leading to system faults
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wired mechanical/electrical communication with wireless communication technology. The electronic detonators receive firing commands wirelessly through radio frequency signals, eliminating the need for physical cable connections. This substitution resolves the contradiction by removing the source of signal degradation and interference while maintaining communication reliability between the control console and detonators.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If wireless communication is used between control console and electronic detonators, then cabling defects are eliminated, but transmission uncertainties such as temporal and spatial fading occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic transmission of firing commands through a sequence of pulses sent at regular time intervals. The control console transmits multiple identical firing commands in succession, and the electronic detonators are designed to recognize and respond to this periodic pattern. This periodic action ensures that at least one command is received correctly despite temporal fading, thereby improving transmission reliability while maintaining wireless operation.
3Reliability
If sequence of firing commands with synchronization periods is implemented, then synchronized countdown is achieved, but communication time is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates synchronization periods and timing information in advance within each firing command sequence. The control console pre-calculates and embeds the necessary timing parameters and synchronization data into the transmitted commands before sending them. This preliminary action allows electronic detonators to automatically synchronize their countdowns without requiring extended real-time communication, thus achieving reliable synchronized firing while minimizing communication time.
Data Source
AI summary
A firing method for a set of electronic detonators includes receipt, by a receiving device associated with one or more electronic detonators, of an ignition command from a transmitted sequence of ignition commands including at least two ignition commands, a synchronisation delay being associated with each ignition command. A counting down, from the time of receipt of the ignition command, of the synchronisation delay associated with the received ignition command, and a counting down of an ignition delay associated with each electronic detonator from a synchronisation time corresponding to the time at which the countdown of the synchronisation delay is complete, are carried out. Each electronic detonator is ignited once the countdown of the ignition delay is complete. An electronic detonator includes a reception device, first and second countdown devices and a firing device.