AU2002213980B2

AU2002213980B2 - Method for connecting ignitors in an ignition system

Info

Publication number: AU2002213980B2
Application number: AU2002213980A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Walter Aebi; Jan Petzold; Heinz Schafer; Andreas Zemla
Original assignee: Teltronik AG; Dynamit Nobel AG; Dynamit Nobel GmbH Explosivstoff und Systemtechnik
Current assignee: Orica Explosives Technology Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2000-09-30
Filing date: 2001-09-28
Publication date: 2007-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-28
Also published as: ZA200302767B; ES2291364T3; ATE369540T1; EP1325282B1; CA2423936A1; AU1398002A; WO2002031431A1; EP1325282A1; DE50112840D1; DE10147726A1; CA2423936C

Abstract

The invention relates to an ignition system comprising a plurality of ignition circuits (2, 3, 4, 5). When connecting and logging of a logger occur for ignitors with respect to the bus lines (6, 7, 8, 9) said logger being connected to a blaster, errors can occur. Connection occurs especially in open-cast mining in conditions which initially do not appear damaging, particularly with respect to the insulation of the ignitors and the ignition lines. Errors can occur when data is being transferred, for example by loosing or altering the signal which is to be transferred or by infiltration of a signal from a foreign ignitor. According to the invention, an anlog manager (22) is installed which is in bi-directional contact with the loggers, the blaster and the log data transmitters of the logger which transmit the data from the ignitor to the logger. The anlog manager co-ordinates the logging of the ignitor to a respective bus line (6, 7, 8, 9), in addition to the programming of the ignitors, and verifies if an error free data transfer has taken place.

Description

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NO

Method for connecting detonators to a detonating system e( 00The invention relates to a method for connecting detonators to a detonating system.

0 5 A detonating system consists of a plurality of detonators which are connected to a bus e¢ which in turn starts from a so-called logger. A logger is a device for reading and N storing data, in which the relevant data pertaining to a detonator can be stored. A detonating system may consist of several detonating circuits: this means that several loggers are present, to each of which is connected a bus with a plurality of detonators.

The loggers are in turn connected to a detonating device or a tripping apparatus, a socalled blaster, from which the detonators can be detonated in a predetermined temporal sequence on the basis of a detonation command. In addition to the transmission of signals, the buses that emanate from the loggers may also serve for supplying energy to the detonators, in particular for the purpose of charging the detonating capacitors.

Detonating systems of this type are employed, for example, in the open-cast mining of mineral resources, of ores of coal, or in the pit-and-quarrying industry.

In order to be able to address the detonators individually with respect to their delaytime, detonators exist that have an identification code. This code may consist, for example, of an identification number or a bar code applied to the detonator externally and able to be read off. The identification code may also be stored in the electronics of the detonator. If this identification code is stored in the logger, the detonator can be addressed by the programming-and-storage electronics of the logger if a function, a delay-time for example, is to be stored in the detonator.

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After the bus from the logger has been installed, the detonators, with their detonating line connected to the bus of the logger assigned to them, are logged on. If several 0loggers with appropriate buses are distributed in the terrain, logging-on of the 00 detonators to the buses can be effected simultaneously. When a detonator is being connected to the bus, the person doing the connecting, the logger-on, communicates the 00 Mc' identification code of the respective detonator to the logger assigned to the detonator, Sfor example by radio. At the same time the logger-on can additionally communicate to Sthe logger the geographical coordinates of the borehole into which the detonator is lowered. The coordinates of the borehole and also the identification code of the detonator can be combined into a so-called address, under which the respective detonator can be addressed individually from the logger. Determination of the coordinates of the borehole can be effected, for example, by means of GPS (Global Positioning System) or by means of the DGPS (Differential Global Positioning system).

Logging-on of the detonators to the bus is effected, particularly in opencast-mining operations, under conditions that may lead to damage which is not visible at first, in particular to the insulation of the detonators and also of the detonating lines. Such damage can lead to shunts, in particular a shunt from detonator to detonator. If these shunts arise between detonators that are simultaneously connected to different buses, errors in the transmission of data may occur, for example as a result of loss or falsification of the signals to be transmitted or as a result of intrusion of signals pertaining to an extraneous detonator.

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According to aspects of the present invention there is provided a method for connecting detonators to a detonating system that consists of several detonating circuits in which a 00 plurality of detonators are connected to the respective buses which each start from a logger which is connected to the blaster assigned to all the loggers, by which the detonators are detonated in a predetermined temporal sequence on the basis of a detonation command, wherein a log-on manager is installed which is in bidirectional N contact with the loggers, with the blaster and with the log-data communicators of the Sloggers, which signal the data pertaining to the detonators to the logger, in that when logging the detonators on to the buses of the detonating circuits of the detonating system the logger-on, the person who connects the detonators, announces his presence to the log-on manager, in that the log-on manager recognises the logger-on from an identification code assigned to him and assigns him to the logger to whose bus the logger-on wishes to connect the detonators, in that the log-on manager checks whether a detonators is being connected and data are being transmitted at the time of reporting, in that, when no data are being transmitted, the logger assigned to the bus for communicating the data pertaining to the detonator to be connected is switched to receiving, in that, when another detonator is already being connected, the log-on manager sends a message to the log-data communicator to the effect that a transmission of data is not possible, in that the connection of the detonator to the assigned logger is only enabled when the transmission of data pertaining to the other detonator has been concluded and in that the data communicated from the detonators form the basis for the temporal sequence of the detonation of the individual detonators.

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In accordance with an embodiment of the invention it is proposed that a so-called logon manager be installed. Each of the loggers-on carries a transceiver, a log-data 00 communicator which has its own identification code and which serves for 00 communicating the identification codes and the data pertaining to the geographical coordinates of the detonators to the logger assigned to it. These transceivers are M_ designed for bidirectional contact both with the logger assigned to them in the given case and to the log-on manager. The log-on manager is in bidirectional contact with all the loggers and with all the log-data communicators which are carried by the loggerson. Contact may be made via lines or by radio.

Preferably logging detonators onto the detonating circuit of a detonating system takes place as described here. A detonator is to be logged on to the bus of a logger by a logger-on. To this end, the logger-on who wishes to connect the detonator announces his presence by means of his log-data communicator to the log-on manager which recognises him from the identification code and can consequently assign the associated logger. Logging on can be effected, for example by means of radio for example, by a signal with the identification code communicated to the log-on manager by virtue of a keystroke. The log-on manager acknowledges the log-on with a signal to the log data communicator. If no other detonator is connected at the moment, an enabling 14\deboram\keep\pecificationa\2002213980.doc 5/09/06 4 signal is communicated for the purpose of logging-on the detonator.- Otherwise a message is sent to the effect that the transmission of data is not possible. By this means, a cb-tpibi nof' "tn'-h s tb')bb commutinitated' as' a the possibilities of. error listed above is advantageously prevented from occurring.

The signals may be communicated optically, acoustically or mechanically, for example by vibrations, to the logger-on by the log-data communicator. At the same time, the logger assigned to the logger-on is switched to receiving by the log-on manager, in order that the corresponding data can be .read in by the detonator to be connected. This addressing of the logger by the log-on manager can only be effected if it knows the identification code of the logger.

Consequently it is possible that when a logger-on announces his presence the log-on manager can turn directly to the appropriate logger, in order that the latter can receive the signals of the log-data communicator assigned to the logger or alternatively the data pertaining to a detonator announcing its presence itself when logging on to the bus.

If the logger-on has now received the confirmation from the log-on manager that the detonator can be connected to the bus, it implements this connection and acknowledges the logging-on by the transmission of the identification code and possibly the position of the connected detonator if the ascertaining thereof through the use of the GPS or the DGPS, for example is possible.

If, by reason of the possibilities of error defined above, the logger now detects that the communicated data are incomplete or faulty, it can report the error immediately and, for example, communicate it visually on a display for the logger-on. As a result, faulty detonators or a faulty connection can be immediately detected.

Asa .result of the connecting of detonators in several detonating circuits to several buses it may happen that two or more loggers-on announce their presence to the log-on f-fi^iimanager simultaheuslyS However th'e'i- o'-iri" maiger only allows one logging-on at a time, so.that in each instance only one logger-on is offered the possibility of connecting a detonator and in each instance only the data pertaining to one detonator are transmitted to the logger assigned to it. The remaining loggers-on are informed by a signal that they are located, as it were, in a wait-condition, and enabling takes place only when the logging-on operation of a detonator that is already proceeding has been concluded.

To this end, a wait-loop may.be provided in the log-on manager, in which the respective loggers-on are arranged in temporal sequence according to the sequence of the incoming message, and the wait-position is optionally indicated to them.

Once a detonator has been successfully logged on to the bus by a logger-on, the logger acknowledges this to the logdata communicator with an acknowledging signal.

Thereafter the logger-on can notify the log-on manager of the successful logging-on of the detonator by virtue of a signal. The acknowledging signal of the logger may, however, also go directly to the log-on manager and may serve at the log-data communicator only as an indication of a successful logging-on. After this, the log-on manager can enable the logging-on of the next detonator for the following logger-on in the wait-loop. The logger-on who has just successfully carried out the connection of a detonator knows thereafter that he can register the connection of the following detonator.

The log-on management can also be implemented when the detonator announces its presence automatically to the 6 logger when connecting to the bus. In this case, the logger-on firstly has to draw the attention of the log-on.

manager by means of the signal which he generates, to the act'~tfat'h teds to~lrlogi: a. detoiator~n L~~eTkereuponl:: -theE~ 1' log-on manager checks whether the logging-on operation of a detonator is already running at the same time. If this is the case, the logger to whose bus a detonator is to be logged on is-barred tothe reception of the data until such time as the logging-on operation of a preceding detonator to another logger has been concluded. After confirmation of the reception of the signals of the logged-on detonator by virtue of the acknowledging signal of the logger, either the logger-on can communicate thesuccessful logging-on to the log-on manager or the signal can go directly to the log-on manager.- The log-on manager thereafter sends an enabling signal to the logger to whose bus the detonator is to be logged on. If the detonator is then connected to the bus, it automatically sends its identification code to its logger which, in the case of an orderly reception of the signals, acknowledges the connection and stores the identification code, optionally with the geographical coordinates of the detonator, by way of address.

The process according to the invention provides the highest possible security in the course of the simultaneous logging-on of detonators in a detonating system with several detonating circuits and therefore with several loggers.

The log-on manager is suitable, moreover, for the purpose of coordinating the communication of the delay-times from the blaster to the individual detonators via the loggers.

Since this transmission of data can likewise be impeded and disrupted by the possibilities of damage, described above, to the detonators or detonating lines, it is advantageous if each detonator is addressed individually. In this case 7 the loggers and the blaster.must have an address, in order that they can be addressed by the log-on manager. The logon manager then allows the transmission of data that is to.

Sbe addressed*<'*'frribm; t-heibaistl-er bnlyz.to' the lbgge'r, *and -fromK there only to the detonators, and bars the remaining loggers. Once the transmission of data from the-blaster to the respective logger and from there to the detonators has been concluded, the blaster can indicate the end of the transmission of data by means of a signal to the log-on manager. Similarly, the respective logger can report to the log-on manager the fact that the reception of the delay-time data by the detonators has taken place and the programming of the individual detonators has been concluded. On-the basis of these signals the log-on manager can switch off the preceding logger and switch the following logger to receiving. The method according to the invention guarantees that, in the course of the transmission of signals after the connecting of the detonators and also in the course of the subsequent programming of the delay-times, the transmission of signals of one detonator or logger is not disrupted by the transmission of signals of another detonator or logger and that errors in the transmission are immediately detected and can be assigned to the respective transmitter or receiver, to the detonator or to the logger.

The invention will be elucidated in more detail on the basis of an exemplifying embodiment.

The attached representation shows a detonating system 1 with four separate detonating circuits 2 to 5. Each of the detonating circuits 2 to 5 consists of a bus 6 to 9 which in each case starts from a logger 10 to 13 and to which the detonators 14 with their detonating line 15 are connected that is to say, are logged on at the connection-point 16.

A person, a logger-on 17 to 20, in each of the four 8 detonating circuits 2 to 5, is busy logging detonators .on to the respective'buses 6 to 9. The logger-on 17.is just in. the process of logging a.detonator 14, with its :*"4yW de.tonating lihe''16, on to th'e!-bus'ohf'th.dt'etonating w 5 circuit 2 at a connection-point 16. The logger-on wishes to proceed similarly at the same time.

Each of the loggers-on 17 to 20 has a transceiver, a logdata communicator 21, which has its own identification code. These log-data communicators 21 are suitable for bidirectional contact both with the respective loggers to 13 and with the log-on manager 22.

In the present exemplifying embodiment, the transmission of data would be endangered in the case of a shunt of the detonators if there might be a simultaneous connection of detonators 14 by the logger-on 17 and the logger-on 20. In order to avoid this, both the logger-on 17 and the loggeron 20 have registered with the log-on manager 22 via their log-data communicators 21 by specifying their respective identification code. The log-on manager 22 can assign the loggers-on to the respective logger on the basis of the identification code of the respective log-data communication 21. In this way the logger-on 17 is assigned to the logger 10, and the logger-on 20 is assigned to the logger 13.

In the present exemplifying embodiment the logger-on 17 has, as symbolized by the radio contact 23, announced his presence to the log-on manager 22 before the logger-on whose radio contact is symbolized by the dashed line 24, so that the log-on manager 22 switches the logger 10 on via the radio contact 25 which is indicated and allows the logger-on 17 to connect a detonator 14 ahead of the loggeron 20. After the log-on manager 22 has given the logger-on 17 the permission for logging the detonator 14 on at the 9 connection-point 16, this logger-on communicates to the logger on the identification. code of the detonator 14 and optionally the position of the borehole, in the present I' asiby 'me:an~s he:'ogidata communicator" 21 iikewis eobyx i~ radio, to the logger 10. This transmission of.data is symbolized by theradio contact 26. Once the data pertaining to the detonator have been communicated to the logger 10, the latter reports the orderly reception of the data to the log-data communicator 21 of the logger-on 17 via the radio link 26 which is indicated. Said logger-on 17 thereupon acknowledges the successfully accomplished Slogging-on operation by means of a signal to the log-on manager 22 via the radio link 23. Thereupon, the message is sent via the radio contact 24 which is indicated to the log-data communicator 21 of the logger-on 20 with the enabling notification for the purpose of logging the detonator 14, which has been held in readiness, on to the bus 9. Once the detonator has been successfully connected to the bus 9 by the logger-on 20; he acknowledges this connection by means of a radio signal to the log-on manager 22, so that the latter can pass on the enabling to another logger-on with a view to logging a detonator on.

Once all the detonators 14 that are ready have finally been logged on to the respective buses 6 to 9 of the detonating circuits 2 to 5, the programming of the detonators with respect to their time-delay is effected from the detonating device or from the tripping apparatus, the so-called blaster 27. The latter may be linked to the respective loggers 10 to 13 via lines 28 to 31. However, although not represented here, a radio link may exist between the blaster 27 and the respective loggers. Moreover, a link exists, via a line 32 or via a radio link 33 which is indicated, between the blaster 27 and the log-on manager 22. The log-on manager 22 is equipped for the purpose of switching the loggers 10 to 13 on and off separately in 10

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each instance if the delay times in the detonators 14, for example, are to be stored by the blaster 27 in the respective detonating circuits 2 to 5. To this end, firstly there is a 00 communication from the blaster 27 to the log-on manager 22 as to which of the loggers to 13 of the detonating circuits 2 to 5 is to be addressed. In the present exemplifying embodiment the log-on manager 22 has entered into a connection with the logger 10 via 00 Mc, the radio contact 34 which is indicated here and has switched it on for the reception of C the data from the blaster 27, whereas the following loggers 11 to 13 are switched via the Sremaining radio contacts 35 in such a way that they cannot receive the data intended only for the logger 10. Only after communication of the data that are intended for the detonating circuit 2 do a switch-over to the following logger and a disabling of the preceding logger, which has already received the data, take place, and the barring of the loggers to which these data are likewise not directed is retained.

Only when all the data have been communicated from the blaster 27 to the respective detonating circuits 2 to 5 can the detonators be detonated by the blaster 27 via the respective loggers.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

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Claims

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein when the logger-on announces his presence with his identification code, the log-on manager turns directly to the oo appropriate logger and, when it is not presently occupied by a transmission of data, 0 switches it to receiving in respect of the signals of the log-data communicator assigned to the logger or alternatively in respect of the data pertaining to a detonator announcing a\ its presence itself when logging on to the bus.
3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein when the logger-on has received the confirmation from the log-on manager that he can connect the detonator to the bus, he implements the connection of the detonator and acknowledges the logging-on by the transmission of the identification code.
4. A method according to Claim 3, wherein the position of the connected detonator in the detonating system is communicated to the log-on manager. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein when two or more loggers-on announce their presence to the log-on manager with a view to connecting detonators, the log-on manager arranges the messages according to the sequence of their input into a wait-loop, optionally indicates the wait-position and enables a log-on operation only when a preceding log-on operation of a detonator has been successfully concluded or the noting of the error message of a non-orderly connection has been confirmed.
6. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein when the data that have been communicated in the course of logging in are incomplete or faulty, the logger H:\deboram\keep\specifications\2002213980.doc 5/09/06 13 \O reports the error to the log-data communicator and the error is signalled at the log-data communicator or is indicated on a display of the log-data communicator. 00
7. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein when a detonator has been successfully logged on to a bus by a logger-on, the logger acknowledges this at the 00 M_ log-data communicator with an aclknowledging signal and thereafter the logger-on I communicates the successful logging-on to the log-on manager.
8. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein when a detonator has been successfully logged on to a bus by a logger-on, the logger reports this directly to the log-on manager and a corresponding signal appears at the log-data communicator.
9. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the communication of the delay-times from the blaster to the individual detonators via the loggers is coordinated by the log-on manager, by the blaster and the loggers, in addition to the individual detonators, also having an address allocated to them by the log-on manager for the purpose of individual addressing, in that the transmission of data is regulated by the log-on manager in such a way that at all times only one logger and, via the latter at all times, only one detonator is addressed by the blaster and the remaining loggers are disabled and in that, when the transmission of data from the blaster to the respective logger and from there in each instance to the detonators has been concluded, the logger reports in each instance the orderly reception of the data by the detonators to the log-on manager and in that, after conclusion of the programming of the detonators that are connected to a logger, said logger is switched of by the log-on manager and the following logger is switched to receiving. H-\deboran\keep\specifications\2002213980.doc 5/09/06 14 O 0 M 10. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the transmission of OO signals between the log-on manager and the log-data communicators is effected bidirectionally by means O bidirectionally by means of radio technology. 0 5 00
11. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the transmission of signals between the log-on manager and the blaster is effected bidirectionally by means of radio technology.
13. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 7th day of September 2006 DYNAMIT NOBEL GMBH EXPLOSIVSTOFF-UND SYSTEMTECHNIK TELTRONIK AG By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H.\deboram\keep\specifications\2002213980.doc 7/09/06