CA3091298A1 - Ignition system including electronic detonators - Google Patents

Abstract

An ignition system includes electronic detonators (2) and signalling devices (10). Each signalling device (10) is associated with one electronic detonator (2) and allows the presence of the electronic detonator (2) with which it is associated to be signalled. The ignition system further includes an image capture device (20) that is designed and positioned to capture images depicting the signalling devices (10). Use to verify the presence of electronic detonators on a worksite.

Description

WO 2019/15887

2 PCT / FR2019 / 050344 Firing system with electronic detonators The present invention relates to a firing system incorporating electronic detonators.
The invention finds its application in the field of initiation pyrotechnic, in any sector where a set of one or more detonators electronics must traditionally be implemented. Examples typical of use relate to mining, quarrying, exploration seismic, or the building and public works sector.
When installing the firing system in the field or site works, each electronic detonator is placed in a site arranged to receive them. These locations are for example holes drilled in the ground.
In practice, an operator goes to the field and positions a electronic detonator in each location provided for this purpose.
In order to implement the firing of electronic detonators, as well as test operations before firing, it can be useful of know the position of each electronic detonator.
We know of firing systems in which, for know the position of electronic detonators in a work site, the geographic coordinates of electronic detonators are collected. The collecting the geographic coordinates of electronic detonators can generate either significant costs due to the presence of a device GPS receiver associated with each electronic detonator, i.e. times presence of operators in the field to implement this harvest.
In addition, this type of firing systems cannot be used in certain areas, such as underground lots.

In addition, the proper functioning of this type of wagering systems fire is dependent on the proper functioning of the satellites dedicated to the geolocation used.
The object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks and to propose an alternative firing system which can make it possible to perceive the presence of electronic detonators.
To this end, the invention aims, according to a first aspect, a system of firing incorporating electronic detonators and signaling, each signaling device being associated with a detonator electronic and allowing to signal the presence of the electronic detonator with which it is associated. The firing system also includes a device image acquisition engine designed and positioned for image acquisition representing signaling devices.
The image acquisition device can thus take images of a work site with signaling devices indicating the presence the electronic detonators with which they are associated, at their location respective.
On the image obtained by the image acquisition device are shown signaling devices, each signaling device signage signaling the presence of an electronic detonator. Thus, the position of each electronic detonator in a work site can be known without have to use additional means that do not belong to the Firing.
The signaling devices are positioned so as to be perceptible to the image acquisition device in order to allow report the presence of electronic detonators.
It will be noted that the image acquisition device can be the eye human, this one being able to implement the acquisition of an image with signaling devices indicating the presence of detonators electronic.
According to one characteristic, the signaling device comprises a active device emitting a signal indicating the presence of a detonator electronic to which it is associated.

3 According to one characteristic, the signaling device emits a visual signal.
A visual signal is defined as a signal that can be seen by the eye human. A visual signal can be, for example, a light signal.
Thus, this visual signal can be acquired by an acquisition device images and seen by the human eye.
The visual signal indicates the presence of an electronic detonator a location.
According to one characteristic, the active device is a transmitter infrared.
The image acquired by the image acquisition device is thus a infrared image.
According to one characteristic, the signaling device comprises a passive device with detonator identification information electronic to which it is associated.
According to one characteristic, the passive device comprises a code to bars.
For example, the barcode can be one or two dimensional such as a QR code or datamatrix code.
According to one embodiment, each signaling device is connected to conductive wires connecting the electronic detonator to which it is associated with a line of fire.
For example, the signaling device can be integrated into a connector connecting the electronic detonator to the firing line.
According to another embodiment, the signaling device is positioned on a module associated with the electronic detonator to which the signaling device is associated, the module being external to the detonator electronic.
Other features and advantages of the invention will appear.
again in the description below.
In the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples:

4 - Figure 1 schematically shows a firing system according to one embodiment of the invention; and - Figure 2 shows schematically an example of a site of works.
FIG. 1 represents a firing system 1 comprising a set of electronic detonators 2. Each electronic detonator 2 is connected to a firing line 3, the firing line 3 being connected to a unit of command 4.
In figure 1, the electronic detonators 2 are directly connected at firing line 3, however, in general, subassemblies of detonators electronics 2 are respectively connected to bus lines (not shown), the bus lines being connected to firing line 3.
In the embodiment shown, each detonator electronics 2 is connected to firing line 3 by means of conducting wires 5.
The connection of the conducting wires 5 to the firing line 3 is made by means of connectors 6.
In other embodiments (not shown), the Electronic detonators are connected to the control unit (for example a fire control unit and / or programming unit) by means non-wired.
In general, on a work site, several sets of Detonators 2 are connected respectively to several control units 4.
The control unit 4 is a fire control unit designed to carry out the firing operations of the detonators electronics 2 as well as test operations to verify the correct operation of each electronic detonator 2 before proceeding to the Firing. The firing control unit 4 can also implement electronic detonator programming operations 2.
The firing system 1 may further include a programming (not shown in the figures) designed to communicate with electronic detonators 2 and with the firing control unit 4. This programming unit can have different functions.

As shown in Figure 1, the firing system 1 further comprises a set of signaling devices 10. Each signaling device 10 is associated with an electronic detonator 2 and used to signal the presence of electronic detonator 2 to which it is

5 partner.
Note that the electronic detonator 2, once installed at location (for example a hole drilled in the ground), is not visible on the work site, and that the signaling device 10 associated with each electronic detonator 2 is visible on the work site so that the determination, at least approximate, of the position of the detonator electronics 2 on the work site is possible. In this document, the determining the position of a detonator is equivalent to determining the position of the associated signaling device.
A signaling device is thus defined as any device used to signal the presence of an electronic detonator to a location. The signaling device is thus located at a location visible in the work site. For example if the electronic detonator is in a hole drilled in the ground, the signaling device is located on the ground. Yes the detonator is in a hole drilled in a wall, the signage is located on the outer surface of the wall.
In the illustrated embodiment, the signaling device 10 is connected to the conducting wires 5 connecting the electronic detonators 2 to the firing line 3 at connector 6.
It will be noted that the signaling device 10 is thus connected to the electronic detonator 2 with which it is associated.
The signaling device 10 can be supplied with energy electric via the firing line 3.
In another embodiment not shown, each device signaling device is positioned on an external module associated with the detonator electronic 2 to which it is associated. The signaling device can be too integrated or connected to this external module.

6 For example, the connectors can be equipped with a signaling device.
Of course, the signaling devices can be integrated or located in other modules associated with electronic detonators.
In one embodiment, each signaling device 10 has an active device indicating the presence of a detonator electronic.
In the embodiment described, the active device emits a signal indicating the presence of electronic detonator 2. In this mode of realization, the signal is a visual signal, for example a light signal.
In the embodiment shown, the signaling device has at least one light emitting diode (LED) emitting a signal visual indicating the presence of an electronic detonator 2.
Of course, other types of signaling devices can be used in the firing system.
For example, in another embodiment, the active device is an infrared emitter.
In an embodiment not shown, the device for signaling to signal the presence of an electronic detonator, comprises a passive device encoding, for example, information identification of the electronic detonator, such as a barcode to one or two dimensions.
The firing system 1 further comprises a device acquisition of images 20 designed for the acquisition of images representing signaling devices 10. The image acquisition device 20 includes a device that captures images or sequences of images or video, such as than a camera or a camera.
The image acquisition device can also correspond to the eye human. Indeed, the signaling devices 10 can be visualized through an operator in the work site.
The image acquisition device 20 allows the acquisition of images with a resolution suitable for viewing devices signage 10 or a signal emitted by the signaling device 10.

7 The image acquisition device 20 can be a device independent of the other elements making up the firing system 1 (such as shown in Figure 1) or be integrated into an element of the firing 1.
For example, the image acquisition device can be integrated in the fire control unit or in a programming unit.
In other embodiments, the image acquisition apparatus can be integrated into a mobile device such as a vehicle directed to distance for example a drone.
The image acquisition device 20 is configured and positioned to acquire images (figure 2) of the work site with monitoring devices signaling 10. In other words, in the embodiment described, the device image acquisition 20 is configured for the acquisition of an image of the site of 100 works (figure 2) in which the presence of at least one detonator electronics 2 is shown. In the embodiment described, the presence and the position of the electronic detonators are represented by the signal visible emitted by the signaling device 10.
It will be noted that the signaling devices 10 are located so to be visible by the image acquisition device 20.
In the embodiment described, the signaling devices 20 emitting a visual signal, the image acquisition device 20 is designed for acquire signals emitted by signaling devices 10.
In practice, in this embodiment, the acquisition device images 20 captures images with a light signal associated with each electronic detonator 2.
In the case of a signaling device comprising a transmitter with infrared, the image acquisition device is suitable for infrared images. In an embodiment in which the device for signaling is passive (or includes a passive device), the device data acquisition is designed for the shooting of these devices signage distributed on the work site.

8 In one embodiment, the image acquisition apparatus 20 can be positioned at a specific location so that all of the signaling devices in the work site can be acquired.
In the embodiment described, the image acquisition apparatus 20 is placed so that the signals emitted by all of the monitoring devices 10 signage in the work site can be acquired.
The location where the image acquisition device 20 is positioned is determined according to the work site in which the system of fired is installed.
In other embodiments, the acquisition device images 20 can be positioned at a specific location to take partial images of the work site. A complete image of the site of work can be reconstructed from partial images.
For example, a camera or camera can adapt its field vision in order to take partial images of the terrain while staying in the same location.
In other embodiments, the acquisition device of images 20 can be successively located at different locations predetermined to take a set of partial images of the site for the reconstruction of an image of the entire site. Thus, according to modes of realization, the image acquisition device 20 is positioned for to acquire images with part of the signaling devices 10 or with the totality signaling devices 10 present on the work site.
It will be noted that the image acquisition device 20 can be used fixed or mobile. In other words, the image acquisition device can be positioned at a specific location to capture either images of the entire work site, i.e. partial images of the site of work (use of the image acquisition device 20 in a fixed manner).
The image acquisition device 20 can also capture partial images of the work site from different locations (mobile use of the image acquisition device 20).

9 By way of non-limiting example, if the acquisition device images 20 is integrated in the firing control unit 4, the control unit shot 4 is positioned so that the image of the work site with 10 signaling devices can be acquired. In this case, the device image acquisition 20 is in a fixed position.
If the image acquisition device 20 is integrated in a unit programming, the image acquisition device 20 is mobile.
Figure 2 schematically illustrates an image 100 showing a work site in which the electronic detonators 2 are positioned.
Each electronic detonator 2 is positioned at a location 101.
The image 100 has been taken by the image acquisition device 20. We will note that, as indicated above, this image acquisition device 20 has characteristics according to the type of signaling devices 10 associated with electronic detonators 2. The image acquisition device 20 is thus adapted to take an image 100 in which the devices of signage 10 are shown.
As indicated above, according to one embodiment, images parts of the work site can be taken by the device acquisition of images. These partial images can be used to reconstruct a full picture of the work site. Reconstruction of an image of a work is carried out by known methods and are not described in this document.
In the case of a signaling device such as that shown in Figure 1, if the electronic detonators2 are well connected to the line of shot 3, the signaling device 10 can emit a signal indicating the presence an electronic detonator 2.
It will be noted that in the embodiment described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the signaling device 10 signals the presence of a electronic detonator 2 with which it is associated if the electronic detonator is correctly connected to firing line 3. Thus, for example if the device signaling is active, a signal is emitted only if the detonator is properly connected to the firing line.

In an embodiment in which the signaling device is active (or has an active device), the signaling device emits a signal when the electronic detonator receives a command from a control unit.
5 In one embodiment, the command sent to a detonator electronic 2 is nominative, that is to say it concerns only this detonator 2. In other words, an electronic detonator receiving a personal command concerning him responds to this command, the others detonators receiving this command not responding to the command.

10 In another embodiment, the command can be no nominative, any detonator receiving this command emitting a signal.
Once an image of the work site is obtained, the position of the electronic detonators can be determined.
The firing system 1 may further include means of determination (not shown in the figures) of the position of the locations receiving electronic detonators 2.
These determination means use the images acquired by the image acquisition device 20 for determining the positions of devices signaling 10 associated with electronic detonators 2.
The determination means comprise electronic modules designed to receive, store and process images acquired by the device image acquisition. These means of determination are known and do not do not need to be described here.
By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 3 illustrates steps of an embodiment of a method for determining positions of electronic detonators at a work site using the triggering system fire according to the invention.
Of course, the positions of the electronic detonators can be obtained by different processes while using the betting system at fire according to the invention.
The method comprises a control step El in which a command is sent to a first electronic detonator 2.

11 In one embodiment, the command sent to a detonator electronic 2 is nominative, that is to say it concerns only this detonator 2. In other words, an electronic detonator receiving a personal command concerning him responds to this command, the others detonators receiving this command not responding to the command.
In this embodiment, the electronic detonator 2 receiving this nominative command emits, by means of the signaling device 10, a signal indicating its presence during a transmission step E2.
In the embodiment described, a visual signal is emitted at step emission E2 by the signaling device 10, or diode electroluminescent.
Thus, when the electronic detonator 2 receives a command nominative, the associated light-emitting diode 10 lights up in step emission E2.
Then, an acquisition step E3 of the signal emitted by the signaling 10 is implemented. In the embodiment described, acquisition involves the acquisition of one or more images of the site of 100 works in which the visual signals emitted by the diodes electroluminescent are visible.
The control steps El, emission of a signal E2 and acquisition E3 of the transmitted signal are implemented for each of the electronic detonators 2 of the set.
In the embodiment described, a determination step E4 of the positions of the locations follows the acquisition step E3. The stage of determination E4 consists in detecting the ignition of a diode electroluminescent 10 associated with an electronic detonator 2 and to be determined the coordinates of the light point in the acquired image.
Determining the position of a signaling device on an image is implemented by known processing methods of images.
During a verification step E5, it is verified that all of the electronic detonators have been processed, i.e. the stages of

12 command E1, emission E2, acquisition E3 and determination E4 have been implemented for each electronic detonator 2.
In this embodiment, the control operations El, emission E2, acquisition E3 and determination E4 of the position are spaced in time for each electronic detonator 2.
Thus, at the end of the implementation of these operations for each electronic detonator 2, a set of images is obtained, the coordinates image relating to the location of each electronic detonator 2 being determined from each image. Therefore, at the end of the step of determination of positions E5 a list of image coordinates is obtained.
In one embodiment, the image coordinates are ordinates and a location number is associated with each coordinate image. This gives a list of slot numbers.
For example, the determined image coordinates can be those of a pixel being the barycenter of the set of image pixels showing in the image the light-emitting diode 10 lit.
In one embodiment, the signaling device 10, here the light-emitting diode, is positioned at the level of the receiving location electronic detonator 2 so that the position of the signaling 10 is representative of the position of the electronic detonator 2.
In another embodiment, the signaling devices associated with electronic detonators are ignited substantially at the same time, either by a nominative order, or by an order not nominative. In this embodiment, a single image or multiple images of the work site are taken with the signaling devices emitting a signal.
In the case of a passive signaling device (or comprising a passive device), a single image or several images of the work site are taken with the signaling devices shown.
Thus according to embodiments, one image or several images parts of the work site can be obtained by the device acquisition

13 images, a complete image that can be reconstructed from the images partial obtained.
Obtaining the positions of each electronic detonator is similar to the embodiment described above with reference to Figure 3.

Claims (8)

14 1. Firing system comprising electronic detonators (2), and being characterized in that it further comprises:
- signaling devices (10), each signaling device signaling (10) being associated with an electronic detonator (2) and allowing signal the presence of the electronic detonator (2) to which it is associated, and - an image acquisition device (20) designed and positioned for acquiring images representing signaling devices (10). 2. Firing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said signaling device (10) comprises an active device emitting a signal indicating the presence of the electronic detonator (2) to which he is associated. 3. Firing system according to claim 2, characterized in that said signaling device (10) emits a visual signal. 4. Firing system according to claim 2, characterized in that said active device is an infrared emitter. 5. Firing system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said signaling device (10) comprises a device passive with electronic detonator identification information (2) partner. 6. Firing system according to claim 5, characterized in that said passive device comprises a bar code. 7. Firing system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each signaling device (10) is connected to of conducting wires (5) connecting the electronic detonator (2) to which it is associated to a line of fire (3). 8. Firing system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each signaling device is positioned on a module associated with the electronic detonator to which said detection device signaling is associated, said module being external to the detonator electronic.