Modular Mining Systems, Inc.

William M Casson

Michael W Lewis

Lucas Van Latum

Andree Röttig

Edward A Branscombe

Christopher J Utter

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 for zone projection are presented. Specifically, anticipated paths of travel are determined for a number of different vehicles operating within an environment. Based upon those anticipated paths of travel, as well as likely stopping distances of each vehicle, the system generate zones around each vehicle. These projected zones define a geographical region into which each vehicle is likely to proceed as it maneuvers about the environment. With the zones determined, the system is configured to detect zones that overlap, and, when such overlapping zones are detected, can generate an alarm warning of a potential collision condition that may exist between the two corresponding vehicles.

Projected zone overlap

A system for monitoring vehicle dynamics and detecting adverse events during operation is presented. Position sensors attached to a vehicle are configured to identify a vehicle orientation (heading) as well as the vehicle's direction of travel (trajectory). A system controller connected to these position sensors can detect the difference between these two measurements. When the difference between these two measurements exceeds a safety threshold, it can be an indication of a slip event. A slip event can be caused by compromised traction or stability and may lead to a loss of vehicle control. The system controller can be configured to monitor various vehicle dynamics to detect these slip events. The system controller may be configured to track geolocations of slip events to create a database of historical slip events for determining location-based risk factors and prevention of future events.

Vehicle slide detection

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.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

William M Casson