Vision-based motion sensor for mining machine control

Details Vision-based motion sensor for mining machine control Vision-based motion sensor for mining machine control

1999-10-29

2001-10-02

Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)

Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material

Automatic control; signaling or indicating

Of hard material disintegrating machine

C299S001050, C299S030000, C701S028000, C382S104000, C382S106000, C382S153000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06296317

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to mining machines. More particularly, the invention relates to continuous mining machines, and to methods and apparatus for controlling such machines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a mining machine comprising a vehicle body having forward and rearward ends, a cutter head mounted on the forward end for upward and downward movement relative to the vehicle body, and a conveyor mounted on the vehicle body for conveying material cut by the cutter head toward the rearward end. The machine also comprises a position sensing and control apparatus. The apparatus includes at least one imaging module including a diffuse light source and a striping light source, and at least one camera mounted on the vehicle body. The camera has a filter so that the camera picks up only light having the wave length of the diffused light source and the light strip source. The camera captures an image of natural features of an interior surface of the mine. The apparatus also includes a computer having a framegrabber that receives successive images from the camera. The computer uses the successive images to determine at least one of the roll, pitch and yaw and translation along the x, y and z axes of the machine.
In an embodiment of the invention, the computer digitizes the image and separates the image into first and second, or even and odd data fields. The even data fields show the image illuminated by the diffused light source, and the odd data fields show the image illuminated by the striping light source. The even data field is used to determine a three dimensional center of a natural feature of an interior surface of the mine. The odd data field is used to determine the distance between the camera and the natural features of the interior surface of the mine. When successive images are captured, the computer computes the distance between the camera and the natural feature of successive images to determine three degrees of rotational change and three degrees of translational change between the successive images. The six degrees of freedom are then used to compute the position and orientation of the machine.
In one embodiment of the invention, the mining machine further comprises a controller for steering the vehicle body using a PID control and the computer transmit the position and orientation of the controller.
In another embodiment of the invention, the mining machine further comprises an operator display, and the computer transmits the position and orientation to the operator display.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mining machine has multiple imaging modules at different locations on the vehicle to provide robust six degrees of freedom motion information.
It is an advantage of the invention to use a light striper to determine the three dimensional center of a natural feature.
It is another advantage of the invention to use a filter tuned to the wavelength of the light sources in order to minimize the effect of ambient light.
It is another advantage of the invention to provide a cost effective detection system operable in a harsh temperature and vibration environment.
It is another advantage of the invention to provide a detection system requiring minimal space.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims and drawings.


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SME Mining Enginering Handbook, Hartman, et al. pp1910-1912; published 1992.

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