Apparatus and method for operating electronic detonator blaster with integrated flight function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12287649-B2
Application number	US-202318279097-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2023
Priority date	Dec 27, 2022
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

Proposed are an apparatus and a method for operating an electronic detonator blaster with an integrated flight function. The apparatus includes a blasting command transmission part configured to transmit a blasting command to each of electronic detonators which are combined with a flying vehicle capable of being flown and controlled by induction of radio waves and are connected to each other, a connection control part configured to release the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators when the transmission of the blasting command is completed, and a flight control part configured to control the flying vehicle to land at a preset return point after ascending to a preset altitude when the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators is completely released.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for operating an electronic detonator blaster with an integrated flight function, the apparatus comprising:
a blasting command transmission part configured to transmit a blasting command to each of electronic detonators which are combined with a flying vehicle capable of being flown and controlled by induction of radio waves and are connected to each other;
a connection control part configured to release the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators when the transmission of the blasting command is completed;
a flight control part configured to control the flying vehicle to land at a preset return point after ascending to a preset altitude when the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators is completely released; and
a distress notification part notifying of a current location of the electronic detonator blaster by transmitting a beacon signal including received GPS coordinates and transmitting at least one of sound and light-emitting signals when receiving a response signal to the beacon signal to when it is determined that the electronic detonator blaster is in distress.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blasting command transmission part proceeds with a blasting sequence through a relay mode device located in the air and relaying a signal of a remote control device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in the connection control part, in a case in which the flying vehicle is magnetically connected to each of the electronic detonators in a quick connect form, when the transmission of the blasting command is completed, the connection is released by turning off a magnetic force with a pre-provided magnetic force regulator, and in a case in which the flying vehicle is connected to each of the electronic detonators by a busbar, when the transmission of the blasting command is completed, the connection is released by cutting the busbar with a pre-provided cutter.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein when the electronic detonator blaster and each of the electronic detonators are connected to each other in the quick connect form, the electronic detonator blaster is placed through alignment with a marker of a connect base after flying to preset coordinates of the connect base.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flight control part comprises:
a take-off part configured to allow the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster to take off and to ascend to the preset altitude when the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators is completely released;
a flight path generation part configured to generate a flight path on a basis of a current position and the return point of the electronic detonator blaster;
a flight part configured to control the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster to fly to the preset return point on a basis of the generated flight path when a preset period of time elapses after the ascent; and
a landing part configured to control the flying vehicle to land at the return point by detecting a direction of travel of the flying vehicle and changing and rotating the direction of travel of the flying vehicle on a basis of the detected travel direction when the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster enters an area within a predetermined limit distance from the return point.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the flight control part further comprises a remaining battery level determination part for determining a remaining battery level of the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster, and
when it is determined that the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster will not be able to return to the return point due to low battery, the flight path generation part generates a flight path on a basis of the current position and a preset intermediate return point of the electronic detonator blaster.

7. A method for operating an electronic detonator blaster with an integrated flight function, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a blasting command transmission part, a blasting command to each of electronic detonators which are combined with a flying vehicle capable of being flown and controlled by induction of radio waves and are connected to each other;
releasing, by a connection control part, the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators when the transmission of the blasting command is completed;
controlling, by a flight control part, the flying vehicle to land at a preset return point after ascending to a preset altitude when the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators is completely released; and
notifying, by a distress notification part, a current location of the electronic detonator blaster by transmitting a beacon signal including received GPS coordinates and transmitting at least one of sound and light-emitting signals when receiving a response signal to the beacon signal to when it is determined that the electronic detonator blaster is in distress.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein in the releasing of the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators when the transmission of the blasting command is completed,
in a case in which the flying vehicle is magnetically connected to each of the electronic detonators in a quick connect form, when the transmission of the blasting command is completed, the connection is released by turning off a magnetic force with a pre-provided magnetic force regulator, and in a case in which the flying vehicle is connected to each of the electronic detonators by a busbar, when the transmission of the blasting command is completed, the connection is released by cutting the busbar with a pre-provided cutter.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the controlling of the flying vehicle to land at the preset return point after ascending to the preset altitude when the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators is completely released comprises:
performing a take-off of the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster so that the flying vehicle ascends to the preset altitude when the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators is completely released;
generating a flight path on a basis of a current position and the return point of the electronic detonator blaster;
controlling the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster to fly to the preset return point on a basis of the generated flight path when a preset period of time elapses after the ascent; and
controlling the flying vehicle to land at the return point by detecting a direction of travel of the flying vehicle and changing and rotating the direction of travel of the flying vehicle on a basis of the detected travel direction when the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster enters an area within a predetermined limit distance from the return point.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the controlling of the flying vehicle to land at the preset return point after ascending to the preset altitude when the connection of the flying vehicle with the electronic detonators is completely released further comprises:
determining a remaining battery level of the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster,
wherein it is determined that the flying vehicle of the electronic detonator blaster will not be able to return to the return point due to low battery, a flight path is generated on a basis of the current position and a preset intermediate return point of the electronic detonator blaster.

Assignees

• Hanwha Corp

Inventors

• Choi Jeong Ho

Classifications

• G05D1/439

  on the runway during take-off or landing · CPC title

• B64U2101/18

  for dropping bombs; for firing ammunition · CPC title

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• F42D1/055 Primary

  specially adapted for firing multiple charges with a time delay · CPC title

• G05D2105/05

  for soil shifting, building, civil engineering or mining, e.g. excavators · CPC title