Mobile Passage Control Positioning for Underground Safety Area Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In underground work sites, such as mines, the dynamic and unstable environment poses challenges for ensuring safe operation of powerful and heavy work machines, and existing safety systems struggle to effectively monitor and control access to isolated safety areas due to the need for fixed and potentially error-prone installations.

Innovation Solution

A mobile passage control unit equipped with a sensing device that provides three-dimensional sensing data, allowing for the detection of triggering events and determination of its position within the underground work site, using a positioning unit to store reference data and determine the location and orientation of the unit, enabling wireless communication and flexible deployment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fixed safety systems are installed in underground work sites, then safety monitoring coverage is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety monitoring coverageVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms fixed safety systems into mobile passage control units that can be dynamically repositioned. The mobile unit includes sensors, processors, and communication devices that enable it to move freely while maintaining safety monitoring functions, thus reducing installation complexity while preserving safety coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical fixed installations with wireless communication systems. The mobile passage control unit uses wireless communication devices to communicate with remote locations, eliminating the need for complex physical wiring and mounting infrastructure while maintaining system reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If fixed passage control units are used, then area isolation reliability is improved, but adaptability to changing environments deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearea isolation reliabilityVSAvoidenvironmental adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile passage control unit can be physically moved to different locations within the underground work site. This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to adapt to changing environmental conditions and work areas while maintaining reliable area isolation through continuous safety monitoring and access control functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If mobile passage control units with three-dimensional sensing are deployed, then positioning accuracy and safety monitoring are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsensing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile passage control unit integrates multiple functions into a single device: three-dimensional sensing for positioning, safety monitoring, communication, and area isolation control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized devices, thereby managing overall system complexity while achieving high positioning accuracy through the integrated sensing capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enhances safety by allowing for real-time monitoring and flexible isolation of safety areas, reducing the risk of accidents and improving operational efficiency by adapting to changing environments without the need for extensive reconfiguration, while minimizing errors in area isolation.

Implementation Method 1

a sensing device configured to provide three-dimensional sensing data relating to a monitored volume

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation detection: Radar

Data Source

PatentEP4485115A1Monitoring a volume of an underground work site
Publication Date: 2025.01.01 SANDVIK MINING & CONSTR OY
  • EP4485115A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4485115A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4485115A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a system method and computer program product for a monitoring system configured to monitor a volume of an underground work site, the monitoring system comprising a positioning unit configured to store three-dimensional reference data relating to the monitored volume and at least one mobile passage control unit comprising a sensing device configured to provide three-dimensional sensing data relating to the monitored volume, wherein the computer program causes the monitoring system to perform at least the following, detect, by a mobile passage control unit, a triggering event for determining a position of the mobile passage control unit in the underground work site, obtain, as a response to detecting the triggering event, three-dimensional sensing data relating to the monitored volume by the sensing device, receive the three-dimensional sensing data by the positioning unit, determine, by the positioning unit, based on the three-dimensional sensing data and the three-dimensional reference data relating to the monitored volume, the position of the mobile passage control unit, and provide, by the positioning unit, information on the position of the mobile passage control unit to the mobile passage control unit, the information on the position comprising a location and orientation of the mobile passage control unit.