Fleet Management Server Dynamic Mode Switching for Mining Haulage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fleet management systems for mining haulage vehicles experience increased wireless communications and processing loads due to unnecessary request signals from vehicles waiting in queue, leading to inefficiencies and congestion.
Innovation Solution
A fleet management system with a server and onboard terminal equipment that dynamically switches between bidirectional and push modes based on vehicle states, reducing unnecessary wireless communications by controlling when request information is transmitted and processed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If request signals are transmitted sequentially from frontmost haulage vehicles even when stopped, then the system maintains responsiveness to vehicle requests, but the amount of wireless communications and processing load on the server increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs segment setting processing in advance based on predicted vehicle states and queue conditions, so that when vehicles are stopped in queue, the segment allocations are already determined and ready, eliminating the need for continuous request signal transmissions during stop periods
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the request signal transmission behavior based on vehicle state (moving vs. stopped) and queue position, allowing vehicles to transmit requests only when they are moving or when segment changes are actually needed, rather than transmitting continuously regardless of state
2Reliability
If blocking control is used to manage haulage vehicles on travel segments, then vehicle travel safety is improved, but vehicles must stop and wait in queues before loading sites, reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The server predicts future segment availability and queue clearance times in advance, then proactively notifies vehicles of upcoming segment allocations before they reach stopping points, allowing vehicles to maintain motion and reduce queue waiting time while still adhering to blocking control safety requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic queue management by continuously monitoring vehicle positions, loading site status, and segment availability, then adjusting segment allocations and vehicle notifications in real-time to optimize flow through the mining operation while maintaining safety constraints
3Reliability
If the server processes all request signals from stopped vehicles, then complete request handling is achieved, but processing load on the server increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and filters out unnecessary request signals from stopped vehicles based on current segment allocations and queue status, processing only those requests that will result in actual segment changes or vehicle movements, thereby reducing server processing load while maintaining complete handling of all meaningful requests
Data Source
AI summary
A fleet management server is connected to onboard terminal equipments mounted on plural haulage vehicles. The server includes an operation mode determination unit and operation mode switching unit. The determination unit determines whether or not an operation mode, in which segment setting processing is performed to set travel-permitted segments for the vehicles, respectively, needs switching between a bidirectional mode and a push mode. In the bidirectional mode, the processing is performed to send response information upon reception of request information from each onboard terminal equipment. In the push mode, a travel-permitted segment setting unit, without reception of such request information, performs the processing for one of the vehicles to set a new travel-permitted segment, and produces and transmits travel permission information indicating the new travel-permitted segment. The switching unit performs switching processing of the operation mode according to the results of the determination.