Autonomous loading operations of a mining machine

Abstract

A method includes the steps of receiving, during a first action of an automatic adaptive loading procedure by a work machine equipped with a boom and a bucket connected to the boom, driveline information of at least one driveline component of the work machine, defining a set of control parameters on the basis of the received driveline information, and controlling position of the boom, position of the bucket, and speed of the work machine on the basis of the defined set of control parameters during a second action of the automatic adaptive loading procedure.

1 . An apparatus comprising means configured for performing:
 receiving, during a first action of an automatic adaptive loading procedure by a work machine equipped with a boom and a bucket connected to the boom, driveline information of at least one driveline component of the work machine, wherein the driveline information is information generated on a basis of signals from the at least one component of the electric driveline, and wherein the at least one component of the electric driveline is an inverter unit, an electric motor, a gearbox, or a transmission mechanism;   defining a set of control parameters on the basis of the received driveline information of the at least one driveline component of the work machine;   controlling a position of the boom, a position of the bucket, and speed of the work machine on a basis of the defined set of control parameters during a second action of the automatic adaptive loading procedure; and   monitoring time of applying the defined set of control parameters, and control change of the set of control parameters to control position of the boom, position of the bucket, and speed of the work machine in response to the time of applying the defined set of control parameters exceeding a threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the driveline information is indicative of at least one of driveline rotational speed and torque status. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to determine, during the second action of the automatic adaptive loading procedure, if a change condition for changing at least one of the set of control parameters, a parameter in the defined set of control parameters, or automatic adaptive loading procedure action is met, and the apparatus is configured to change at least one of the set of control parameters, a parameter in the defined set of control parameters, or automatic adaptive loading procedure action in response to the change condition being met. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the change condition includes at least one driveline information threshold value, wheel slip condition threshold value, and/or a temporal threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to define or change the set of control parameters on a basis of wheel slip condition information indicative of wheel slip during the automatic adaptive loading procedure. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the set of control parameters is configured to cause:
 maintaining current position of the boom, lifting the bucket, and driving forward;   lifting the boom, maintaining current position of the bucket, and driving forward;   lifting the boom, lowering the bucket, and driving forward; or   lowering the boom, lifting the bucket, and driving forward.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to record history information of used sets of control parameters, and define the set of control parameters on the basis of the history information. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to control the position of the boom, position of the bucket, and the speed of the work machine without one or more of bucket and/or boom pressure measurement, without bucket and/or boom position measurement, and/or without a predefined profile indicative of positions of the boom of the work machine in relation to a distance travelled by the work machine. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to receive hydraulic pressure information indicative of current pressure of a hydraulic pump system of the work machine, and define the set of control parameters further on the basis of the received hydraulic pressure information. 
     
     
         11 . A work machine, comprising the apparatus of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling loading by a work machine, comprising:
 receiving, during a first action of an automatic adaptive loading procedure by the work machine equipped with a boom and a bucket connected to the boom, driveline information of at least one driveline component of the work machine, wherein the driveline information is information generated on the basis of signals from the at least one component of the electric driveline, and wherein the at least one component of the electric driveline is an inverter unit, an electric motor, a gearbox, or a transmission mechanism,   defining a set of control parameters on the basis of the received driveline information of the at least one driveline component of the work machine, and   controlling position of the boom, position of the bucket, and speed of the work machine on the basis of the defined set of control parameters during a second action of the automatic adaptive loading procedure.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining, during the second action of the automatic adaptive loading procedure, if a change condition for changing at least one of the set of control parameters, a parameter in the defined set of control parameters, or automatic adaptive loading procedure action is met; and   changing at least one of the set of control parameters, a parameter in the defined set of control parameters, or automatic adaptive loading procedure action in response to the change condition being met.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the set of control parameters is defined or changed on the basis of wheel slip condition information indicative of wheel slip during the automatic adaptive loading procedure. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program comprising code for, when executed in a data processing apparatus, causes a method in accordance with  claim 12  to be performed.