Autonomous Mine Vehicle Dust Mode for Dead-Reckoning Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dust interference poses challenges for autonomous mine vehicles' sensor-based operations, leading to reduced efficiency and potential accidents due to incorrect obstacle detection or failure to detect obstacles.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dust driving mode that includes control actions for autonomous mine vehicles, such as speed reduction and obstacle detection function disabling, based on dead-reckoning positioning and error monitoring, to maintain safe operation during dust conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical environment scanning is used for positioning the mine vehicle, then positioning accuracy is improved, but sensor detection reliability deteriorates in dust conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between optical environment scanning and dead-reckoning positioning based on dust condition detection. When dust is detected, the system transitions from relying on optical sensors to using dead-reckoning with error monitoring, allowing continuous operation while adapting to changing environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by entering a dust driving mode that modifies positioning methodology. This involves switching from optical scanning-based positioning to dead-reckoning positioning with adjusted error thresholds and speed limitations to maintain safe operation during dust conditions.
2Productivity
If the mine vehicle maintains normal operating speed in dust conditions, then productivity is maintained, but safety deteriorates due to reduced obstacle detection capability
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts speed based on dust conditions and dead-reckoning error parameters. The control unit reduces speed when error parameters indicate reduced positioning accuracy, maintaining safety while allowing continued operation. This dynamic speed adjustment balances productivity with safety in dust conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring dead-reckoning error parameters and adjusting speed accordingly. When error parameters exceed thresholds, the system provides feedback to reduce speed or stop, ensuring safety while maintaining operational continuity when conditions permit.
3Reliability
If the mine vehicle stops operation in dust conditions, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of complete stoppage, the system applies partial action by reducing speed to a safe operating level rather than halting entirely. This allows continued operation at reduced capacity, maintaining some productivity while improving safety. The system applies just enough speed reduction to compensate for reduced detection capability without unnecessary complete stoppage.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous control unit independently manages speed adjustment and operation continuation based on dust condition assessment. The system serves itself by automatically determining when to reduce speed and when to maintain operation, eliminating the need for external intervention and allowing continuous self-managed operation in dust conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, comprising: detecting a dust condition for an autonomously operating mine vehicle configured to perform optical environment scanning for positioning the mine vehicle at a worksite, entering a dust driving mode in response to detecting the dust condition, the dust driving mode being associated with one or more control actions for autonomous operation of the mine vehicle, controlling dead-reckoning based positioning for updating the position of the mine vehicle during the dust driving mode, controlling monitoring of a dead-reckoning error parameter during the dust driving mode, and in response to the dead-reckoning error parameter reaching an error threshold, controlling the mine vehicle to stop or reduce speed.