METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DATA COLLECTION IN MINING ENVIRONMENT WITH HAPTIC FEEDBACK AND CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED ALARM

Abstract

Methods and systems for data collection in mining environment with haptic feedback and continuously monitored alarm are disclosed. A system can include a data acquisition circuit to interpret a plurality of detection values, a data analysis circuit to analyze the plurality of detection values to determine at least one of a sensor state, a process state, or a component state and an alarm value, an analysis response circuit to perform an action in response to the at least one of the sensor state, the process state, or the component state and to continuously monitor the alarm value, and a haptic user device.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for data collection in a mining environment, the system comprising: a data acquisition circuit structured to interpret a plurality of detection values, each of the plurality of detection values corresponding to input received from a detection package, the detection package comprising at least one of a plurality of input sensors, wherein each of the plurality of input sensors is operatively coupled to at least one of a plurality of components of the mining environment; a data analysis circuit structured to analyze a subset of the plurality of detection values to determine at least one of a sensor state, a process state, or a component state; an analysis response circuit structured to perform an action in response to the at least one of: the sensor state, the process state, or the component state, wherein the data analysis circuit is further configured to determine an alarm value in response to at least one of the subset of detection values, and wherein the analysis response circuit is further structured to continuously monitor the alarm value; and a haptic user device for generating a haptic stimulation in response to an alarm value that is outside a predetermined range.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the haptic user device comprises a wearable device, wherein the wearable device is selected from a group consisting of: a glove, a ring, a wrist band, a watch, an arm band, a belt, a necklace, and a device attached to or incorporated in footwear, headwear, clothing, or eyewear.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the haptic user device generates a stimulation from a list consisting of: tactile, bending, vibration, heat, sound, force, odor, and motion stimulation.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the haptic stimulation is repeated until an acceptable response is detected.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the haptic user device further comprises a machine operator haptic user interface that is adapted to provide a machine operator with a haptic stimulation responsive to the machine operator's control of, or a sensed condition of, a corresponding machine.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least one of a type, a strength, a duration, and a frequency of the haptic stimulation is indicative of a risk of injury to a user of the haptic user device.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the haptic stimulation is selected from a list consisting of pressure, heat, impact, sound and electrical stimulation.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of monitored processes in the mining environment that includes at least one of an excavation process, a drilling process, a boring process, and a transportation process.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of monitored components in the mining environment that includes at least one component selected from a group consisting of: a motor, a pump, a compressor, a cutting head, a pneumatic drill, and jack hammer.

10. The monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of monitored machines in the mining environment that include at least one machine selected from a group consisting of: a refining machine, a drilling machine, a boring machine, and a crushing machine.

11. A monitoring system for data collection in a mining environment, the system comprising: a data collector communicatively coupled to a plurality of input channels, wherein the data collector collects data from the plurality of input channels based on a selected data collection routine, wherein each input channel is connected to a monitoring point from which data is collected, wherein the collected data provides a plurality of detection values including detection values for a continuously monitored alarm for the mining environment; a data storage structured to store a plurality of collector routes and collected data that corresponds to the plurality of input channels, wherein the plurality of collector routes each comprise a different data collection routine; a data acquisition and analysis circuit structured to interpret the plurality of detection values from the collected data and determine an occurrence of an alarm condition in the mining environment; and a haptic user device for generating a haptic stimulation in response to a determination of an occurrence of an alarm condition.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the data acquisition and analysis circuit is further structured to detect a pre-determined trigger condition of the continuously monitored alarm.

13. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the data acquisition and analysis circuit is further structured to employ a different data collection routine in response to a determination of an occurrence of an alarm condition.

14. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the haptic user device generates a stimulation from a list consisting of: tactile, bending, vibration, heat, sound, force, odor, and motion stimulation.

15. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the haptic stimulation is repeated until an acceptable response is detected.

16. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the haptic user device further includes a machine operator haptic user interface that is adapted to provide a machine operator with a haptic stimulation responsive to the machine operator's control of, or a sensed condition of, a corresponding machine.

17. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein at least one of a type, a strength, a duration, and a frequency of the haptic stimulation is indicative of a risk of injury to a user of the haptic user device.

18. A computer-implemented method for data collection in a mining environment, the method comprising: collecting data from a plurality of input channels communicatively coupled to a data collector based on a data collection routine, wherein each input channel is connected to a monitoring point from which data is collected, wherein the collected data provides a plurality of detection values including detection values for a continuously monitored alarm for the mining environment; interpreting the plurality of detection values from the collected data to determine an occurrence of an alarm condition in the mining environment; and generating a haptic stimulation in response to receipt of a signal indicating the occurrence of the alarm condition in the mining environment.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising repeating the haptic stimulation until an acceptable response is detected.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of: a type, a strength, a duration, and a frequency of the haptic stimulation is indicative of a risk of injury to a user of a haptic user device.