EP1325282B1 - Method for connecting ignitors in an ignition system - Google Patents

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

The invention relates to a method for connecting igniters to an ignition system according to the preamble of the first claim.

An ignition system consists of a large number of detonators, which are connected to a bus line, which in turn starts from a so-called logger. A logger is a data reading and storage device in which the relevant data of a detonator can be stored. An ignition system can consist of several ignition circuits, that is, there are several loggers, to each of which a bus line is connected with a plurality of detonators. The loggers in turn are connected to an ignition device or a tripping device, a so-called blaster, from which the detonators can be ignited in a predetermined time sequence on the basis of an ignition command. The bus lines emanating from the loggers, in addition to the signal transmission to the power supply of detonators, in particular for charging the ignition capacitors, serve, ignition systems of this kind are, for example, the surface mining of mineral resources, ores or coal, or in the stone and earth industry used.

In order to be able to address the detonators individually with regard to their delay time, there are detonators which have an identification code. This can for example consist of an identification number or a barcode, which are externally applied to the igniter and can be read. The identification code can also be stored in the electronics of the detonator. When this identification code is stored in the logger, the detonator can be addressed with the logger's programming and storage electronics if a function, such as a delay time, is to be stored in the detonators.

After laying the bus line from the logger, the detonators are connected with their ignition cable to the bus line of their assigned logger, be logged. If several loggers are distributed with corresponding bus lines in the area, the logging on of the detonators to the bus lines can take place simultaneously. When connecting a detonator to the bus line, the subsequent person, the logger, shares the identification code of the respective detonator with the logger associated with the detonator, for example by radio. At the same time, the logger can also tell the logger the geographic coordinates of the borehole into which the igniter is lowered. The borehole coordinates as well as the identification code of the detonator can be combined to form a so-called address under which the respective detonator can be individually addressed by the logger. The determination of the coordinates of the borehole can be done, for example, by means of GPS (Global Positioning System) or by means of the DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System).

The logging of the detonator to the bus line is carried out in particular in the opencast mining under conditions that initially not visible to damage, especially on the isolation of the detonator and the ignition cables can lead. Such damage can lead to shunts, in particular to shunt igniter to igniter. If these shunts occur between detonators which are simultaneously connected to different bus lines, then errors in the data transmission can occur, for example due to loss or forgery of the signals to be transmitted or due to intrusion of signals from a foreign detonator.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method with which the described disturbances and errors can be avoided.

The object is achieved by means of the characterizing features of the first claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are claimed in the subclaims.

According to the invention it is proposed that a so-called Anlog-Manager is installed. Each of the loggers carries a transmitting and receiving device, a log data transmitter, which has its own identification code and the Transmission of the identification codes and the data of the geographical coordinates of the detonator to its associated logger is used. These transceivers are designed for bidirectional contact both with their associated logger and the Anlog Manager. The Anlog Manager is in bidirectional contact with all loggers as well as with all log data transmitters that carry the loggers. The contact can be made via lines or via radio.

The method according to the invention for logging detonators to the ignition circuit of an ignition system is carried out as described here: an igniter is to be logged on to the bus line of a logger by a logger. To do so, the logger who wants to connect the detonator logs in with his log data transmitter at the Anlog Manager, who recognizes him by the identification code and thus can assign the associated logger. The logging can be done, for example, that a signal with the identification code is transmitted to the Anlog Manager by pressing a button, for example by radio. The Anlog Manager acknowledges the logon with a signal to the logger. If no other igniter is connected at the moment, an enable signal for logging on the igniter is transmitted. Otherwise, a message appears that the data transmission is not possible. As a result, it is advantageously avoided that a distortion of the signals to be transmitted occurs due to the above-described possibilities of error.

The signals can be communicated visually, acoustically or mechanically, for example by vibrations, to the logger by the log data transmitter. At the same time, the logger associated with the logger is switched to reception by the log-on manager, so that the corresponding data can be read in from the igniter to be connected. This logger can only be addressed by the Anlog Manager if it knows its identification code. Thus, it is possible that when logging a Anloggers the Anlog Manager can contact directly to the responsible logger so that it can receive the signals of the logger associated with the log data transmitter or the data of a logging on to the bus itself igniting detonator.

If the logger has now received confirmation from the log-on manager that the detonator can be connected to the bus line, he performs this connection and acknowledges the log-on by transmitting the identification code and possibly the position of the connected detonator, if this has been determined For example, by using the GPS or the DGPS is possible.

If the logger now recognizes that the transmitted data is incomplete or faulty due to the possible errors described above, it can immediately report the error and, for example, make it visible to the logger on a display. As a result, faulty igniter or a faulty connection can be detected immediately.

By connecting igniters in multiple firing circuits on multiple bus lines, two or more loggers may log in to the Anlog Manager at the same time. However, the Anlog Manager only allows logging on during a time, so that only one logger at a time is offered the opportunity to connect a detonator and in each case only the data of a detonator is transmitted to the associated logger. The other loggers are informed by a signal that they are, so to speak, in a waiting position and the release only takes place when the current log-on process of a detonator is completed. For this purpose, a waiting loop can be provided in the Anlog Manager, in which the respective loggers are arranged in chronological order according to the order of the incoming message and, if appropriate, the waiting position is displayed to them.

If an igniter has been successfully logged on to the bus line by a logger, the logger acknowledges this to the log data transmitter with an acknowledgment signal. The logger can then inform the log-in manager of the successful log-on of the detonator with a signal. However, the acknowledgment signal of the logger can also go directly to the log-on manager and serve on the log data transmitter only as an indicator for a successful log-on. Thereafter, the Anlog Manager may enable the next sequencer on hold to log on to the next detonator. The logger just watching the connection has successfully performed a detonator, knows that he can register the connection of the following detonator.

Anlog management can also be performed if the detonator automatically logs on to the logger when it is connected to the bus. In this case, the logger must first alert the log-in manager that he intends to log in an igniter. The Anlog Manager will then check to see if a detonator is already logging in at the same time. If this is the case, the logger, to whose bus line a detonator is to be logged on, is blocked for receiving the data until the log-on procedure of a preceding detonator on another logger has been completed. After confirming receipt of the signals of the logged-on detonator by the acknowledgment signal of the logger, either the logger can notify the log-in manager of the successful log-on or the signal goes directly to the log-on manager. The Anlog Manager then sends an enable signal to the logger, to whose bus the detonator is to be logged on. If the detonator is then connected to the bus line, it automatically sends its identification code to its logger, which acknowledges the connection when the signals are received correctly and stores the identification code, optionally with the geographical coordinates of the detonator, as the address.

The inventive method gives the highest possible security in the simultaneous logging of detonators in an ignition system with multiple ignition circuits and thus multiple loggers.

The Anlog Manager is also suitable for coordinating the transmission of the delay times from the blaster via the loggers to the individual detonators. Since this data transmission can also be hindered and disturbed by the above-described possibilities of damage to the detonators or ignition lines, it is advantageous if each detonator is addressed individually. In this case, the logger and the blaster must have an address so that they can be addressed by the log-on manager. The Anlog Manager then allows the data transfer from the Blaster only to the logger and from there only to the detonators, which should also be addressed and locks the other loggers. When the data transfer from the blaster to the respective logger and from there to the detonators is complete, the blaster can signal the end of the data transfer by means of a signal to the Anlog Manager. Likewise, the respective logger can report to the Anlog Manager that the reception of the delay time data by the detonators has taken place and the programming of the individual detonators has been completed. Based on these signals, the Anlog Manager can switch off the previous logger and switch the subsequent logger to receive. The inventive method ensures that in the signal transmission after connecting the detonator and the subsequent programming of the delay times, the signal transmission of a detonator or a logger is not disturbed by the signal transmission of another detonator or logger and that errors in the transmission are detected immediately and the respective Sender or receiver, the detonator or the logger can be assigned.

Reference to an embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail.

The present illustration shows an ignition system 1 with four separate ignition circuits 2 to 5. Each of the ignition circuits 2 to 5 consists of a bus line 6 to 9, each emanating from a logger 10 to 13 and at the igniter 14 with its ignition line 15 in the Connection point 16 connected, that is logged on. In all four ignition circuits 2 to 5 is a person to Anlogger 17 to 20, busy to igniter to the respective bus lines 6 to 9. The Anlogger 17 is just about to log an igniter 14 with its ignition line 15 in a connection point 16 to the bus line 6 of the ignition circuit 2. Likewise, at the same time, the logger 20 wants to proceed.

Each of the loggers 17 to 20 has a transmitting and receiving device, a log data transmitter 21 having its own identification code. These log data transmitters 21 are suitable for bidirectional contact both with the respective loggers 10 to 13 and with the log-on manager 22.

In the present embodiment, a simultaneous connection of detonators 14 by the logger 17 and the Anlogger 20 would come with a shunt of the igniter to a threat to data transmission. In order to avoid this, both the logger 17 and the logger 20 have logged in via their log data transmitters 21 to the log-on manager 22, stating the respective identification code. The log-on manager 22 may assign the loggers to the respective logger based on the identification codes of the respective log data transmitters 21. Thus the logger 17 is assigned to the logger 10 and the logger 20 to the logger 13.

In the present embodiment, the Anlogger 17, as symbolized by the radio contact 23, before the Anlogger 20 at Anlog Manager 22 reported, the radio contact with the dashed line 24 is symbolized, so that the Anlog Manager 22 via the indicated radio contact 25 the Logger 10 turns on and the logger 17 allows the connection of a fuze 14 before the logger 20. After the log-on manager 22 has given the logger 17 the permission to log the igniter 14 in the connection point 16, this transmits, in the present case by means of the log data transmitter 21, also by radio, the identification code of the igniter 14 and optionally the position of the borehole to the logger 10. This data transmission is symbolized by the radio contact 26. If the data of the detonator is transmitted to the logger 10, this reports the proper receipt of the data on the indicated radio link 26 to the log data transmitter 21 of the Anloggers 17. This then acknowledges the successfully completed Anloggvorgang means of a signal via the radio link 23 to the Anlog Manager 22. Thereupon, via the indicated radio contact 24, the message to the log data transmitter 21 of the logger 20 with the release notification for logging the ready held detonator 14 to the bus line 9. If the igniter has been successfully connected to the bus line 9 by the logger 20, then He acknowledges this connection by means of a radio signal to the Anlog Manager 22, so that this can pass the release for logging a detonator to another Anlogger.

Finally, if all the available detonators 14 are logged on to the respective bus lines 6 to 9 of the ignition circuits 2 to 5, the detonators are programmed with regard to their time delay from the ignitor or the tripping device, the so-called blaster 27. This can be connected via lines 28 to 31 to the respective ones Loggers 10 to 13 connected. But it may also, as not shown here, a radio link between the blaster 27 and the respective loggers exist. Furthermore, there is a connection via a line 32 or via an indicated radio link 33 between the blaster 27 and the log-on manager 22. The log-on manager 22 is equipped to separately switch the loggers 10 to 13 on and off when from the blaster 27 in the respective ignition circuits 2 to 5, for example, the delay times in the detonators 14 are to be stored. For this purpose, first of the blaster 27 is a message to the log-on manager 22, which is the logger 10 to 13 of the ignition circuits 2 to 5 to be addressed. In the present embodiment, the log-on manager 22 has entered via the radio contact 34 indicated here with the logger 10 in connection and has turned it on to receive the data from the blaster 27, while the other wireless contacts 35, the subsequent loggers 11 to 13 connected will not be able to receive data specific to logger 10 only. Only after transmission of the data, which are intended for the ignition circuit 2, there is a switch to the subsequent logger and a blockage of the previous logger, which has already received the data, as well as a retention of the lock of the logger to which these data also not addressed are.

Only when all the data has been transmitted from the blaster 27 to the respective ignition circuits 2 to 5, the detonators can be ignited by the blaster 27 via the respective loggers.

Claims (12)

1. A method for connecting detonators (14) to a detonating system (1) that consists of several detonating circuits (6-9) in which a plurality of detonators (14) are connected to the respective buses (2-5) which each start from a logger (10-13) which is connected to the blaster (27) assigned to all the loggers, by which the detonators (14) are detonated in a predetermined temporal sequence on the basis of a detonation command, characterised in that a log-on manager (22) is installed which is in bidirectional contact with the loggers (10-13), with the blaster (27) and with the log-data communicators (17-20) of the loggers, which signal the data pertaining to the detonators (14) to the logger (10-13), in that when logging the detonators on to the buses (2-5) of the detonating circuits (6-9) of the detonating system the logger-on (17-20), the person (17-20) who connects the detonators, announces his presence to the log-on manager (22), in that the log-on manager (22) recognises the logger-on (17-20) from an identification code assigned to him and assigns him to the logger (10-13) to whose bus (2-5) the logger-on (17-20) wishes to connect the detonators (14), in that the log-on manager (22) checks whether a detonator (14) is being connected and data are being transmitted at the time of reporting, in that, when no data are being transmitted, the logger (10-13) assigned to the bus (2-5) for communicating the data pertaining to the detonator (14) to be connected is switched to receiving, in that, when another detonator (14) is already being connected, the log-on manager (22) sends a message to the log-data communicator (21) to the effect that a transmission of data is not possible, in that the connection of the detonator (14) to the assigned logger (10-13) is only enabled when the transmission of data pertaining to the other detonator (14) has been concluded and in that the data communicated from the detonators (14) form the basis for the temporal sequence of the detonation of the individual detonators (14).
2. A method according to Claim 1, characterised in that, when the logger-on announces his presence with his identification code, the log-on manager turns directly to the appropriate logger and, when it is not presently occupied by a transmission of data, 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 its presence itself when logging on to the bus.
3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, 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, characterised in that the position of the connected detonator in the detonating system is communicated to the log-on manager.
5. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that, 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 one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that, when the data that have been communicated in the course of logging on are incomplete or faulty, the logger 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.
7. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that, when a detonator has been successfully logged on to a bus by a logger-on, the logger acknowledges this at the log-data communicator with an acknowledging signal and thereafter the logger-on communicates the successful logging-on to the log-on manager.
8. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that, 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 one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that 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, this logger is switched off by the log-on manager and the following logger is switched to receiving.
10. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the transmission of signals between the log-on manager and the log-data communicators is effected bidirectionally by means of radio technology.
11. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the transmission of signals between the log-on manager and the loggers is effected bidirectionally by means of radio technology.
12. A method according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the transmission of signals between the log-on manager and the blaster is effected bidirectionally by means of radio technology.

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