Underground drilling rig tramming control

Abstract

A method for controlling an underground drilling rig includes receiving target pose information indicative of at least target pose for the drilling unit in accordance with an input plan, detecting, during tramming of the drilling rig, carrier pose information indicative of orientation of the carrier, defining, during tramming of the drilling rig, orientation of the drilling unit on the basis of the detected carrier pose information, and generating tramming assistance information on the basis of the target pose information and the defined orientation of the drilling unit.

1 . A mobile underground drilling rig, comprising a carrier, at least one boom attached at a first end to the carrier, and a drilling unit attached to a second end of the boom, and control means configured for:
 receiving target pose information indicative of at least a target pose for the drilling unit in accordance with an input plan;   detecting, during tramming of the drilling rig, carrier pose information indicative of orientation of the carrier;   defining, during tramming of the drilling rig, orientation of the drilling unit on the basis of the detected carrier pose information indicative of the orientation of the carrier; and   generating, during tramming of the drilling rig, tramming assistance information on the basis of the target pose information and the defined orientation of the drilling unit.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling unit includes a rock drill attached to a feed beam rotatably connected to the boom, the input plan including a drilling plan including target positions and orientations for each hole in a set of holes to be drilled, and wherein the target pose information is indicative of, or defined based on, a target orientation for the feed beam for drilling a hole in the set of holes. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein control means are configured to define deviation of the drilling unit from the at least one target pose on the basis of the defined orientation of the drilling unit and the target pose information, and generate the tramming assistance information on the basis of the defined deviation of the orientation of the drilling unit from the at least one target pose. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein control means are configured for receiving information on orientation of the carrier from a gyroscope included in the carrier and defining the orientation of the drilling unit on the basis of the received information on orientation of the carrier and joint position information of a plurality of joints between the carrier and the drilling unit. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier includes a first carrier portion and a second carrier portion interconnected by a carrier joint, the carrier pose information being indicative of orientation of the first carrier portion, and wherein the control means are configured to use information on position of the carrier joint as an input for defining the orientation of the drilling unit. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the control means are configured for generating a graphical user interface view indicative of at least the orientation of the drilling unit and the at least one target pose, and displaying the graphical user interface view during the tramming of the drilling rig for assisting an operator to control the tramming of the drilling rig to a drilling position for carrying out a drilling operation according to a drilling plan. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the tramming assistance information includes defining a steering control instruction for autonomous steering operation or for guiding an operator to control steering of the drilling rig. 
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling an underground drilling rig comprising a carrier, at least one boom attached at a first end to the carrier, and a drilling unit attached to a second end of the boom, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving target pose information indicative of at least target pose for the drilling unit in accordance with an input plan;   detecting, during tramming of the drilling rig, carrier pose information indicative of orientation of the carrier;   defining, during tramming of the drilling rig, orientation of the drilling unit on the basis of the detected carrier pose information indicative of the orientation of the carrier; and   generating, during tramming of the drilling rig, tramming assistance information on the basis of the target pose information and the defined orientation of the drilling unit.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the drilling unit includes a rock drill attached to a feed beam rotatably connected to the boom, the input plan including a drilling plan including target positions and orientations for each hole in a set of holes to be drilled, and the target pose information is indicative of, or defined based on, a target orientation for the feed beam for drilling a hole in the set of holes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising defining deviation of the drilling unit from the at least one target pose on the basis of the defined orientation of the drilling unit and the target pose information, and generating the tramming assistance information on the basis of the defined deviation of the orientation of the drilling unit from the at least one target pose. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising receiving orientation of the carrier from a gyroscope comprised by the carrier and defining the orientation of the drilling unit on the basis of the received orientation of the carrier and joint position information of a plurality of joints between the carrier and the drilling unit. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the carrier includes a first carrier portion and a second carrier portion interconnected by a carrier joint, wherein the carrier pose information is indicative of orientation of the first carrier portion, and information on position of the carrier joint is used as an input for defining the orientation of the drilling unit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 generating a graphical user interface view indicative of at least the orientation of the drilling unit and the at least one target pose; and   displaying the graphical user interface view during the tramming of the drilling rig for assisting an operator to control the tramming of the drilling rig to a drilling position for carrying out a drilling operation according to a drilling plan.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of generating the tramming assistance information includes defining a steering control instruction for autonomous steering operation or for guiding an operator to control steering of the drilling rig. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program comprising code for, when executed in a data processing apparatus, causes a method in accordance with  claim 8  to be performed.