US 12,483,638 B2
Underground production drill communication system
Antony Albert Phillip Boyland, Bovell (AU)
Assigned to BCI Mining Technology Pty Ltd, Bovell (AU)
Appl. No. 18/689,393
Filed by BCI Mining Technology Pty Ltd, Bovell (AU)
PCT Filed Aug. 18, 2022, PCT No. PCT/AU2022/050924
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 5, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/028640, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 9, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 2021902874 (AU), filed on Sep. 6, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2025/0141983 A1, May 1, 2025
Int. Cl. G06F 15/16 (2006.01); G08B 7/06 (2006.01); H04L 12/40 (2006.01); H04L 67/12 (2022.01); H04L 69/08 (2022.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 69/08 (2013.01) [G08B 7/06 (2013.01); H04L 12/40 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01); H02J 7/0068 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A communication system for an underground production drill, said system comprising:
at least one slave unit comprising:
a) a CAN bus interface;
b) an electrical power controller and rechargeable battery, said controller configured to monitor a status and regulate charging of said battery, as well as control the provision of electrical energy from the battery to the CAN bus interface, the controller and battery encapsulated in a thermally-conductive fire-retardant material;
c) a first protocol converter arranged in signal communication with the CAN bus interface and powered via the power controller and configured to convert between wireless network and CAN bus protocols, the protocol converter configured to represent a terminating bias circuit to facilitate electrical bias and termination at an end of a CAN bus segment; and
d) a first wireless transceiver arranged in signal communication with the power controller and first protocol converter and configured to transceive the wireless network protocol and transmit the status of the battery; and
a master unit comprising:
i) a CAN bus interface;
ii) a second protocol converter arranged in signal communication with the CAN bus interface and configured to convert between wireless network and CAN bus protocols;
iii) a second wireless transceiver arranged in signal communication with the second protocol converter, uniquely paired with the first wireless transceiver and configured to receive the battery status; and
iv) an indicator configured to indicate the battery status;
wherein the master unit is retrofittably interfaceable with an existing CAN bus control system of the underground production drill and the at least one slave unit is retrofittably interfaceable with a conventional CAN bus hydraulic actuator of said drill, whereby a wireless Controller Area Network is establishable between the control system and actuators.