Modular Mining Systems, Inc.

Lucas Van Latum

Michael W Lewis

Andree Röttig

William M Casson

Maria Brenda R Rayco

Maria Brenda Rayco

William Casson

Andree Rottig

A system and method for driver guidance are presented. A position sensor is mounted to a vehicle. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the vehicle and a heading of the vehicle. A device is configured to generate a plurality of outputs. A controller is connected to the position sensor and the display device. The controller is configured to access, via a wireless communications network, a database to identify a target loading location for the vehicle, determine a location and a heading of the target loading location for the vehicle, and modify at least one of the plurality of outputs of the display device based upon at least one of the location and the heading of the target loading location.

Driver guidance for guided maneuvering

A system and method includes accessing a road network database to identify a tire cost for a plurality of edges in a mining road network, identifying least-cost paths between each of a plurality of nodes on the mining road network using the tire cost for each of the plurality of edges, the nodes including a loading area and a dumping area for a plurality of haul trucks, accessing a distributed objects database to identify constraints for the nodes on the mining road network, determining a production plan using the constraints for the nodes on the mining road network, determining a task assignment for each of the plurality of haul trucks using the production plan as guide, and transmitting the task assignment for each of the plurality of haul trucks.

Tire conditioning optimization for a collection of mining vehicles

A system and method for determining a path to a target destination are presented. A position sensor is mounted to a haul truck. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the haul truck. A distributed objects database stores information describing target destinations within a mining environment and performance characteristics of the haul truck. A navigation aid is connected to the position sensor. The navigation aid is configured to identify a target destination for the haul truck, retrieve a performance characteristic of the haul truck from the distributed objects database, and calculate a first path to the target destination using the performance characteristic of the haul truck. A user interface is connected to the navigation aid. The user interface is configured to display the first path for an operator of the haul truck.

Target destination selection for a mining vehicle

A system and method includes accessing a road network database to identify a tire cost for a plurality of edges in a mining road network, identifying least-cost paths between each of a plurality of nodes on the mining road network using the tire cost for each of the plurality of edges, the nodes including a loading area and a dumping area for a plurality of haul trucks, accessing a distributed objects database to identify constraints for the nodes on the mining road network, determining a production plan using the constraints for the nodes on the mining road network by maximizing a function of the form &#x3b1;f'(x)&#x2212;&#x3b2;g&#x2032;(x), where f&#x2032;(x) is a normalized measure of productivity, g&#x2032;(x) is a normalized measure of impact on tire conditioning, and &#x3b1; and &#x3b2; are nonnegative constants with &#x3b1;+&#x3b2;=1, subject to constraints on resource capacities and production requirements, with the material flow rates between each of the nodes on the mining road network specifying the production plan, determining a task assignment for each of the plurality of haul trucks using the production plan as guide, and transmitting the task assignment for each of the plurality of haul trucks.

A system and method includes accessing a road network database to identify a tire cost for a plurality of edges in a mining road network, identifying least-cost paths between each of a plurality of nodes on the mining road network using the tire cost for each of the plurality of edges, the nodes including a loading area and a dumping area for a plurality of haul trucks, accessing a distributed objects database to identify constraints for the nodes on the mining road network, determining a production plan using the constraints for the nodes on the mining road network by maximizing a function of the form &#x3b1;f'(x)-&#x3b2;g&#x2032;(x), where f&#x2032;(x) is a normalized measure of productivity, g&#x2032;(x) is a normalized measure of impact on tire conditioning, and &#x3b1; and &#x3b2;, are nonnegative constants with &#x3b1;+&#x3b2;=1, subject to constraints on resource capacities and production requirements, with the material flow rates between each of the nodes on the mining road network specifying the production plan, determining a task assignment for each of the plurality of haul trucks using the production plan as guide, and transmitting the task assignment for each of the plurality of haul trucks.

A system and method for navigating a vehicle through a mining environment to a target destination is presented. The system and method may be utilized to avoid contention in the mining environment. A route through the mining environment to the target destination for the vehicle is identified and a first speed profile for at least a portion of the route is determined. A potential contention condition associated with the route is identified and the potential contention condition along the route is used to determine a second speed profile for at least a portion of the route. An optimized speed profile is determined using the first speed profile and the second speed profile, and at least a portion of the optimized speed profile is communicated to the vehicle.

Contention avoidance

A system and method for target destination selection for a mining vehicle are present. A position sensor is mounted to a haul truck. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the haul truck. A distributed objects database stores information describing hazards, boundaries and target destinations within a mining environment. A navigation aid is connected to the position sensor. The navigation aid is configured to access the distributed objects database to identify a plurality of potential target destinations for the haul truck using the position of the haul truck, identify at least one attribute of the haul truck, and filter the plurality of potential target destinations using the at least one attribute to generate a filtered list of target destinations. A user interface is configured to display the filtered list of target destinations for selection by an operator of the haul truck.

A system and method for guided navigation of a mining vehicle are presented. A position sensor is mounted to a haul truck. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the haul truck. A navigation aid is configured to identify a target destination for the haul truck, calculate a path including the target destination, and use the position sensor to monitor a progress of the haul truck along the path. A user interface is configured to display at least a portion of the path to an operator of the haul truck.

Guided navigation of a mining vehicle

A navigation device and a method for navigation are disclosed. A display is provided and a processor is connected to the display. The processor is configured to communicate with a database. The database stores information describing a plurality of objects in a mining environment. The processor is configured to identify a heavy equipment in the database, and identify a loading envelope for the heavy equipment. The loading envelope is at least partially determined by a location of the heavy equipment. The processor is configured to display the loading envelope on the display.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Lucas Van Latum