U.S. patent application number 16/970184 was filed with the patent office on 2021-04-08 for ignition system including electronic detonators.
The applicant listed for this patent is DAVEY BICKFORD. Invention is credited to Aymeric DENUELLE, Franck GUYON.
Application Number | 20210102792 16/970184 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005323665 |
Filed Date | 2021-04-08 |
![](/patent/app/20210102792/US20210102792A1-20210408-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20210102792/US20210102792A1-20210408-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20210102792/US20210102792A1-20210408-D00002.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20210102792 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GUYON; Franck ; et
al. |
April 8, 2021 |
IGNITION SYSTEM INCLUDING ELECTRONIC DETONATORS
Abstract
An ignition system includes electronic detonators and signalling
devices. Each signalling device is associated with one electronic
detonator and allows the presence of the electronic detonator with
which it is associated to be signalled. The ignition system further
includes an image capture device that is designed and positioned to
capture images depicting the signalling devices. Use to verify the
presence of electronic detonators on a worksite.
Inventors: |
GUYON; Franck; (AUXERRE,
FR) ; DENUELLE; Aymeric; (LA CHAPELLE DE GUINCHAY,
FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DAVEY BICKFORD |
HERY |
|
FR |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005323665 |
Appl. No.: |
16/970184 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
February 15, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR2019/050344 |
371 Date: |
August 14, 2020 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F42D 1/042 20130101;
F42D 1/055 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F42D 1/04 20060101
F42D001/04; F42D 1/055 20060101 F42D001/055 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 16, 2018 |
FR |
1851350 |
Claims
1. Firing system comprising electronic detonators (2), comprising:
signaling devices (10), each signaling device (10) being associated
with an electronic detonator (2) and making it possible to signal
the presence of the electronic detonator (2) with which said
signaling device is associated and an image acquisition device (20)
designed and positioned for acquiring images representing signaling
devices (10).
2. The firing system in accordance with claim 1, said signaling
device (10) comprises an active device emitting a signal indicating
the presence of the electronic detonator (2) with which said
signaling device is associated.
3. The firing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said
signaling device (10) emits a visible signal.
4. The firing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said
active device is an infrared emitter.
5. The firing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said
signaling device (10) comprises a passive device comprising
identification information of the associated electronic detonator
(2).
6. The firing system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said
passive device comprises a barcode.
7. The firing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each
signaling device (10) is connected to conducting wires (5)
connecting the electronic detonator (2) with which said signaling
device is associated, to a firing line (3).
8. The firing system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each
signaling device is positioned on a module associated with the
electronic detonator with which said signaling device is
associated, said module being external to the electronic
detonator.
9. The firing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said
signaling device (10) comprises a passive device comprising
identification information of the associated electronic detonator
(2).
10. The firing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said
signaling device (10) comprises a passive device comprising
identification information of the associated electronic detonator
(2).
11. The firing system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said
signaling device (10) comprises a passive device comprising
identification information of the associated electronic detonator
(2).
12. The firing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein each
signaling device (10) is connected to conducting wires (5)
connecting the electronic detonator (2) with which said signaling
device is associated, to a firing line (3).
13. The firing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein each
signaling device (10) is connected to conducting wires (5)
connecting the electronic detonator (2) with which said signaling
device is associated, to a firing line (3).
14. The firing system in accordance with claim 4, wherein each
signaling device (10) is connected to conducting wires (5)
connecting the electronic detonator (2) with which said signaling
device is associated, to a firing line (3).
15. The firing system in accordance with claim 5, wherein each
signaling device (10) is connected to conducting wires (5)
connecting the electronic detonator (2) with which said signaling
device is associated, to a firing line (3).
16. The firing system in accordance with claim 6, wherein each
signaling device (10) is connected to conducting wires (5)
connecting the electronic detonator (2) with which said signaling
device is associated, to a firing line (3).
17. The firing system in accordance with claim 2, wherein each
signaling device is positioned on a module associated with the
electronic detonator with which said signaling device is
associated, said module being external to the electronic
detonator.
18. The firing system in accordance with claim 3, wherein each
signaling device is positioned on a module associated with the
electronic detonator with which said signaling device is
associated, said module being external to the electronic
detonator.
19. The firing system in accordance with claim 4, wherein each
signaling device is positioned on a module associated with the
electronic detonator with which said signaling device is
associated, said module being external to the electronic
detonator.
20. The firing system in accordance with claim 5, wherein each
signaling device is positioned on a module associated with the
electronic detonator with which said signaling device is
associated, said module being external to the electronic detonator.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the U.S. national phase of International
Application No. PCT/FR2019/050344 filed Feb. 15, 2019 which
designated the U.S. and claims priority to French Application No.
1851350 filed Feb. 16, 2018, the entire contents of each of which
are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention concerns a firing system comprising
electronic detonators.
[0003] 15
Description of the Related Art
[0004] The invention finds its application in the field of
pyrotechnic initiation, in any sector in which a set of one or more
electronic detonators must conventionally be implemented. Typical
examples concern the exploitation of mines, quarries, seismic
exploration, and the sector of building construction and public
works.
[0005] On installing the firing system on the worksite or plot,
each electronic detonator is installed in a location arranged to
receive them. These locations are for example holes bored in the
ground.
[0006] In practice, an operator goes to the worksite and positions
an electronic detonator in each location provided for that
purpose.
[0007] In order to fire the electronic detonators, as well as carry
out test operations preceding the firing, it may be useful to know
the position of each electronic detonator.
[0008] Firing systems are known in which, to know the position of
the electronic detonators in a worksite, the geographical
coordinates of the electronic detonators are collected. The
collection of the geographical coordinates of the electronic
detonators may give rise either to high expenses on account of the
presence of a GPS receiving device associated with each electronic
detonator, or large amounts of time in which the operators are
present on the worksite to perform the collection.
[0009] Furthermore, this type of firing system cannot be used in
certain worksites, such as underground worksites.
[0010] In addition, the proper operation of this type of firing
system depends on the proper operation of satellites dedicated to
the geopositioning system used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention is directed to solving at least one of
the aforementioned drawbacks and to providing an alternative firing
system that can make it possible to perceive the presence of
electronic detonators.
[0012] To that end, according to a first aspect, the invention
concerns a firing system comprising electronic detonators and
signaling devices, each signaling device being associated with an
electronic detonator and making it possible to signal the presence
of the electronic detonator with which it is associated. The firing
system further comprises an image acquisition device designed and
positioned for acquiring images representing signaling devices.
[0013] The image acquisition device is thus able to take images of
a worksite with signaling devices indicating the presence of the
electronic detonators with which they are associated, at their
respective location.
[0014] Signaling devices are represented in the image obtained by
the image acquisition device, each signaling device signaling the
presence of an electronic detonator. Thus, the position of each
electronic detonator in a worksite can be known, this being without
having to use supplementary means not belonging to the firing
system.
[0015] The signaling devices are positioned so as to be perceptible
to the image acquisition device in order to enable the presence of
the electronic detonators to be signaled.
[0016] It will be noted that the image acquisition device can be
the human eye, this is being able to perform the acquiring of an
image with signaling devices indicating the presence of the
electronic detonators.
[0017] According to a feature, the signaling device comprises an
active device emitting a signal indicating the presence of an
electronic detonator with which it is associated.
[0018] According to a feature, the signaling device emits a visible
signal.
[0019] A visible signal is defined as a signal that can be seen by
the human eye. A visible signal may for example be a light
signal.
[0020] Thus, this visible signal may be acquired by an image
acquisition device and seen by the human eye.
[0021] The visible signal indicates the presence of an electronic
detonator at a location.
[0022] According to a feature, the active device is an infrared
emitter.
[0023] The image acquired by the image acquisition device is thus
an infrared image.
[0024] According to a feature, the signaling device comprises a
passive device comprising identification information of the
electronic detonator with which it is associated.
[0025] According to a feature, the passive device comprises a
barcode.
[0026] For example, the barcode can be one- or two-dimensional such
as a QR code or a Data Matrix code.
[0027] According to one embodiment, each signaling device is
connected to conducting wires connecting the electronic detonator
with which it is associated, to a firing line.
[0028] For example, the signaling device can be integrated into a
connector connecting the electronic detonator to the firing
line.
[0029] According to another embodiment, the signaling device is
positioned on a module associated with the electronic detonator
with which the signaling device is associated, the module being
external to the electronic detonator.
[0030] Still other particularities and advantages of the invention
will appear in the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] In the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting
example:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a firing system
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
[0033] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an example of a
worksite.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] 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 control
unit 4.
[0035] In FIG. 1, the electronic detonators 2 are directly
connected to the firing line 3, however in general, sub-sets of
electronic detonators 2 are respectively connected to bus lines
(not shown), the bus lines being connected to the firing line
3.
[0036] In the embodiment represented, each electronic detonator 2
is connected to the 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 the connectors 6.
[0037] In other embodiments (not shown), the electronic detonators
are connected to the control unit (for example to a firing control
unit and/or a programming unit) by wireless means.
[0038] In general, on a worksite, several sets of detonators 2 are
respectively connected to several control units 4.
[0039] The control unit 4 is a firing control unit designed to
implement the firing operations of the electronic detonators 2 as
well as perform test operations to check the proper operation of
each electronic detonator 2 before carrying out the firing. The
firing control unit 4 can also perform programming operations of
the electronic detonators 2.
[0040] The firing system 1 can further comprise a programming unit
(not shown in the drawings) designed to dialog with the electronic
detonators 2 and with the firing control unit 4. This programming
unit can have different functions.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 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 makes it possible to signal the
presence of the electronic detonator 2 with which it is
associated.
[0042] It will be noted that the electronic detonator 2, once
installed at the location (for example a hole bored in the ground),
is not visible on the worksite, and that the signaling device 10
associated with each electronic detonator 2 is visible on the
worksite such that determining the position of the electronic
detonator 2 on the worksite, at least approximately, is possible.
In this document, determining the position of a detonator is
equivalent to determining the position of the associated signaling
device.
[0043] A signaling device is thus defined as any device making it
possible to signal the presence of an electronic detonator at a
location. The signaling device is thus situated at a location that
is visible on the worksite. For example, if the electronic
detonator is in a hole bored in the ground, the signaling device is
situated on the ground. If the detonator is in a hole bored in a
wall, the signaling device is situated on the outside surface of
the wall.
[0044] 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 the location of the connector
6.
[0045] It will be noted tat the signaling device 10 is thus
connected to the electronic detonator with which it is
associated.
[0046] The signaling device 10 may be supplied which electrical
energy via the firing line 3.
[0047] In another embodiment not shown, each signaling device is
positioned on an external module associated with the electronic
detonator 2 with which it is associated. The signaling device may
also be integrated with or connected to that external module.
[0048] For example, the connectors may be equipped with a signaling
device.
[0049] Of course, the signaling devices may be integrated with or
located in other modules associated with the electronic
detonators.
[0050] In one embodiment, each signaling device 10 comprises an
active device indicating the presence of an electronic
detonator.
[0051] In the described embodiment, the active device emits a
signal indicating the presence of the electronic detonator 2. In
this embodiment, the signal is a visible signal, for example a
light signal.
[0052] In the represented embodiment, the signaling device
comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED) emitting a
visible signal enabling the presence of an electronic detonator 2
to be indicated.
[0053] Of course, other types of signaling devices may be used in
the firing system.
[0054] For example, in in another embodiment, the active device is
an infrared emitter.
[0055] In an embodiment not represented, the signaling device
making it possible to signal the presence of an electronic
detonator comprises a passive device encoding for example
identification information of the electronic detonator, such as a
barcode having one or two dimensions.
[0056] The firing system 1 further comprises an image acquisition
device 20 designed for acquiring images representing the signaling
devices 10. The image acquisition device 20 comprises an apparatus
capturing images or sequences of images or video, such as a stills
camera or video camera.
[0057] The image acquisition device may furthermore be the human
eye. As a matter of fact, the signaling devices 10 may be seen by
an operator in the worksite.
[0058] The image acquisition device 20 enables the acquisition of
images with a resolution configured for viewing the signaling
devices 10 or a signal emitted by the signaling device 10.
[0059] The image acquisition device 20 may be a device independent
from the other components making up the firing system 1 (as
represented in FIG. 1) or be integrated into a component of the
firing system 1.
[0060] For example, the image acquisition device may be integrated
into the firing control unit or into a programming unit.
[0061] In other embodiments, the image acquisition apparatus may be
integrated into a mobile device such as a remotely controlled
vehicle for example a drone.
[0062] The image acquisition device 20 is configured and positioned
to acquire images (FIG. 2) of the worksite with signaling devices
10. In other words, in the described embodiment, the image
acquisition device 20 is configured for the acquisition of an image
of the worksite 100 (FIG. 2) in which the presence of at least one
electronic detonator 2 is represented. In the described embodiment,
the presence and the position of the electronic detonators are
represented thanks to the visible signal emitted by the signaling
device 10.
[0063] It will be noted that the signaling devices 10 are located
so as to be visible to the image acquisition device 20.
[0064] In the described embodiment, as the signaling devices 20
emit a visible signal, the image acquisition device 20 is designed
to acquire the signals emitted by the signaling devices 10.
[0065] In practice, in this embodiment, the image acquisition
device 20 captures images with a light signal associated with each
electronic detonator 2.
[0066] In the case of a signaling device comprising an infrared
emitter, the image acquisition device is configured for the
acquiring of infrared images. In one embodiment in which the
signaling device is passive (or comprises a passive device), the
device for acquiring the data is designed for image taking of these
signaling devices distributed over the worksite.
[0067] In one embodiment, the image acquisition apparatus 20 can be
positioned at a determined location such that the all the signaling
devices in the worksite can be acquired.
[0068] In the described embodiment, the image acquisition apparatus
20 is placed such that the signals emitted by all the signaling
devices 10 in the worksite can be acquired.
[0069] The location at which the image acquisition device 20 is
positioned is determined according to the worksite in which the
firing system is installed.
[0070] In other embodiments, the image acquisition device 20 can be
positioned at a determined location to take partial images of the
worksite. A complete image of the worksite may be constructed from
the partial images.
[0071] For example a stills camera or video camera can adapt its
field of view in order to take partial images of the worksite while
remaining at the same location.
[0072] In other embodiments, the image acquisition device 20 can be
successively located at different predetermined locations to take a
set of partial images of the site for the reconstruction of an
image of the entirety of the site. Thus, according to embodiments,
the image acquisition device 20 is positioned to acquire images
which some of the signaling devices 10 or with all the signaling
devices 10 present on the worksite.
[0073] It will be noted that the image acquisition device 20 can be
used in a fixed or mobile manner. In other words, the image
acquisition device 20 can be positioned at a determined location,
either to capture images of the entirety of the worksite, or
partial images of the worksite (this is use of the image
acquisition device 20 in a fixed way).
[0074] The image acquisition device 20 can also capture partial
images of the worksite from different locations (this is mobile use
of the image acquisition device 20).
[0075] By way of example that is in no way limiting, if the image
acquisition device 20 is integrated into the firing control unit 4,
the firing control unit 4 is positioned such that the image of the
worksite with the signaling devices 10 can be acquired. In this
case, the image acquisition device 20 is in a fixed position.
[0076] If the image acquisition device 20 is integrated into a
programming unit, the image acquisition device 20 is mobile.
[0077] FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates an image 100
representing a worksite in which the electronic detonators 2 are
positioned. Each electronic detonator 2 is positioned at a location
101.
[0078] The image 100 was taken by the image acquisition device 20.
It will be noted that, as indicated above, this image acquisition
device 20 has features according to the type of signaling devices
10 associated with the electronic detonators 2. The image
acquisition device 20 is thus configured to take an image 100 in
which the signaling devices 10 are represented.
[0079] As indicated above, according to an embodiment, partial
images of the worksite can be taken by the image acquisition
device. These partial images can be used to reconstruct a complete
image of the worksite. The reconstruction of an image of a worksite
is implemented by methods that are known and are not described in
this document.
[0080] In the case of a signaling device such as that shown in FIG.
1, if the electronic detonators 2 are properly connected to the
firing line 3, the signaling device 10 can emit a signal indicating
the presence of an electronic detonator 2.
[0081] It will be noted that in the embodiment described with
reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the signaling device 10 signals the
presence of an electronic detonator 2 with which it is associated
if the electronic detonator 2 is correctly connected to the firing
line 3. Thus, for example if the signaling device is active, a
signal is emitted only if the detonator is correctly connected to
the firing line.
[0082] In one embodiment in which the signaling device is active
(or comprises an active device), the signaling device emits a
signal when the electronic detonator receives a command coming from
a control unit.
[0083] In one embodiment, the command sent to an electronic
detonator 2 is nominative, that is to say that it solely concerns
that detonator 2. In other words, an electronic detonator receiving
a nominative command concerning it responds to that command, the
other detonators receiving that command not responding to the
command.
[0084] In another embodiment, the command can be non nominative,
any detonator receiving that command emitting a signal.
[0085] Once an image of the worksite has been obtained, the
position of the electronic detonators can be determined.
[0086] The firing system 1 may further comprise determining means
(not represented in the drawings) of the position of the locations
receiving the electronic detonators 2.
[0087] These determining means use the images acquired by the image
acquisition device 20 to determine the positions of the signaling
devices 10 associated with the electronic detonators 2.
[0088] The determining means comprise electronic modules designed
to receive, store and process the images acquired by the image
acquisition device. These determining means are known and do not
require to be described here.
[0089] By way of example that is in no way limiting, FIG. 3
illustrates steps of an embodiment of a method for determining
positions of the electronic detonators in a worksite using the
firing system in accordance with the invention.
[0090] Of course, the positions of the electronic detonators may be
obtained by different methods while using the firing system in
accordance with the invention.
[0091] The method comprises a commanding step S1 in which a command
is sent to a first electronic detonator 2.
[0092] In one embodiment, the command sent to an electronic
detonator 2 is nominative, that is to say that it solely concerns
that detonator 2. In other words, an electronic detonator receiving
a nominative command concerning it responds to that command, the
other detonators receiving that command not responding to the
command.
[0093] In this embodiment, the electronic detonator 2 receiving
this nominative command emits a signal, by means of the signaling
device 10, indicating its presence at an emitting step S2.
[0094] In the described embodiment, a visible signal is emitted at
the emitting step S2 by the signaling device 10, or light-emitting
diode.
[0095] Thus, when the electronic detonator 2 receives a nominative
command, the associated light-emitting diode 10 turns on at the
emitting step S2.
[0096] Next, a step S3 of acquiring the signal emitted by the
signaling device 10 is implemented. In the described embodiment,
the acquisition comprises acquiring an image or several images of
the worksite 100 in which the visible signals emitted by the
light-emitting diodes are visible.
[0097] The steps of commanding S1, emitting a signal S2 and
acquiring the emitted signal S3 are implemented for each of the
electronic detonators 2 of the set.
[0098] In the described embodiment, a step S4 of determining the
positions of the locations follows the acquiring step S3. The
determining step S4 consists of detecting the turning on of a
light-emitting diode 10 associated with an electronic detonator 2
and of determining the coordinates of the point of light in the
acquired image.
[0099] Determining the position of a signaling device in an image
is carried out using known methods of image processing.
[0100] At a checking step S5, it is checked that all the electronic
detonators have been processed, that is to say that the steps of
commanding S1, emitting S2, acquiring S3 and determining S4 have
been implemented for each electronic detonator 2.
[0101] In this embodiment, the operations of commanding S1,
emitting S2, acquiring S3 and determining S4 the position are
spaced apart over time for each electronic detonator 2.
[0102] Thus, after implementing these operations for each
electronic detonator 2, a set of images is obtained, the image
coordinates relative to the location of each electronic detonator 2
being determined from each image. Therefore, after the step of
determining the positions S5 a list of image coordinates is
obtained.
[0103] In one embodiment, the image coordinates are y-coordinates
and a location number is associated with each image coordinate. A
list of location numbers is thus obtained.
[0104] For example the determined image coordinates can be those of
a pixel that is the barycenter of the set of image pixels
representing, in the image, the turned on light-emitting diode
10.
[0105] In one embodiment, the signaling device 10, here the
light-emitting diode, is positioned at the location receiving the
electronic detonator 2, such that the position of the signaling
device 10 represents the position of the electronic detonator
2.
[0106] In another embodiment, the signaling devices associated with
the electronic detonators are turned on substantially at the same
time, either by a nominative command, or by a non-nominative
command. In this embodiment, a single image or several images of
the worksite are taken with the signaling devices emitting a
signal.
[0107] In the case of a signaling device that is passive (or that
comprises a passive device), a single image or several images of
the worksite are taken with the signaling devices represented.
[0108] Thus, according to the embodiments, an image or several
partial images of the worksite may be obtained by the image
acquisition device, it being possible for a complete image to be
reconstituted from the partial images obtained.
[0109] Obtaining the positions of each electronic detonator is
similar to the embodiment described above with reference to FIG.
3.
* * * * *