Method, rock drilling rig and control apparatus

Abstract

A method and control apparatus for controlling more than one rock drilling rig operating on the same working site, and a rock drilling rig. A master unit controls the drilling by the rock drilling rigs via a wireless network and sends the rig the necessary information about the drilling plan of the working site.

1 . A method for controlling more than one rock drilling rig operating on the same working site, whereby each rock drilling rig drills holes according to a designed drilling plan, the method comprising the steps of:
 controlling operation of at least one rock drilling rig via a wireless connection with a master unit outside the drilling rig;   storing to a memory of the master unit a drilling plan covering the working site;   defining a position of each at least one rock drilling rig on the working site with a positioning system;   sending position information of each at least one rock drilling rig to the master unit;   defining, on the basis of the position information, rig-specific drilling instructions for a rock drilling rig selected from a plurality of rock drilling rigs for controlling drilling of holes; and   sending the rig-specific drilling instructions from the master unit to the selected rock drilling rig via a wireless connection.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising sending from the master unit to the selected rock drilling rig the drilling plan of a whole working site and information on a working area defined by the master unit for the selected rock drilling rig, which working area covers only a part of the drilling plan area of the working site. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising sending from the master unit to the selected rock drilling rig only a part of a whole drilling plan of the working site, which part defines the working area defined by the master unit for the selected rock drilling rig. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising sending from each rock drilling rig drilling status information indicating at least drilled holes to the master unit, and updating the drilling plan on the basis of the received drilling status information. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising using a computer of a rock drilling rig as the master unit. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising gathering information on drilling conditions during the drilling of a hole, and sending the gathered information to the master unit wirelessly. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 4 , further comprising redefining the drilling instructions for each at least one rock drilling rig according to the received information indicating drilled holes and/or status of at least one of the drilling rigs. 
     
     
         8 . A rock drilling rig for operating with at least one other rock drilling rig on the same working site, whereby the rock drilling rig is arranged to drill holes according to a designed drilling plan, the rock drilling rig comprising:
 a control unit for controlling the operation of the rock drilling rig;   a memory for storing the information sent to the rock drilling rig;   a positioning system configured to define the position of the rock drilling rig on the working site; and   wireless communication means for sending position information of the rock drilling rig to a master unit outside the rock drilling rig and to receive rig-specific drilling instructions for controlling drilling of holes defined by the master unit on the basis of the position information, wherein the control unit is arranged to control drilling of holes according to the received drilling instructions.   
     
     
         9 . A rock drilling rig according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit is arranged to receive a drilling plan of the whole working site and information on a working area defined by the master unit for the rock drilling rig, which working area covers only a part of the drilling plan area of the working site. 
     
     
         10 . A rock drilling rig according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit of the rock drilling rig is arranged to receive only a part of the whole drilling plan of the working site, which part defines the working area defined by the master unit for the rock drilling rig. 
     
     
         11 . A rock drilling rig according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit of the rock drilling rig is arranged to send the master unit drilling status information indicating at least the drilled holes. 
     
     
         12 . A rock drilling rig according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit is arranged to receive from the master unit information on the holes drilled by other drilling rigs. 
     
     
         13 . A rock drilling rig according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit is arranged to gather information on drilling conditions during drilling and to send the drilling condition information to the master unit. 
     
     
         14 . A control apparatus for controlling more than one rock drilling rig operating on a working site, each rock drilling rig being configured to drill holes according to a designed drilling plan, the control apparatus comprising a master unit for controlling the operation of each rock drilling rig on the basis of a drilling plan covering the working site and stored on a memory of the control apparatus, the master unit being implemented outside of at least one of the drilling rigs and being further configured to receive position information on each rock drilling rig in the system, define, on the basis of the position information, rig-specific drilling instructions for a selected rock drilling rig for controlling drilling of holes, and send the rig-specific drilling instructions from the master unit to the selected rock drilling rig via a wireless connection. 
     
     
         15 . A control apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the master unit is further configured to receive information on the drilled holes and/or other status information from at least some of the drilling rigs, and redefine drilling instructions for each rock drilling rig on the basis of the information of the drilled holes and/or the status information. 
     
     
         16 . A rock drilling rig comprising a control apparatus, the control apparatus including a master unit for controlling the operation of the rock drilling rig on the basis of a drilling plan covering a working site and stored on a memory of the control apparatus, the master unit being implemented outside the drilling rig and being configured to receive position information on the rock drilling, define, on the basis of position information, rig-specific drilling instructions for the rock drilling rig for controlling drilling of holes, and send the rig-specific drilling instructions from the master unit to the rock drilling rig via a wireless connection.