Electronic blasting system having a pre-fire countdown with multiple fire commands
View Patent ↗A system and method for conducting a firing sequence including a master device and a plurality of electronic pyrotechnic devices, wherein the master device broadcasts, multiple times, a fire command to the plurality of electronic pyrotechnic devices, the electronic pyrotechnic devices commence a pre-fire countdown in response to each fire command received without error, and each electronic pyrotechnic device conducts a pre-fire countdown to expiration and thereupon commences a final fire countdown that concludes with firing.
1. A method of conducting a firing sequence in an electronic blasting system including a blasting machine and a plurality of electronic detonators, the method comprising:
providing the electronic detonators and the blasting machine;
the blasting machine broadcasting, multiple times, a fire command to the plurality of electronic detonators;
each electronic detonator commencing a pre-fire countdown in response to each fire command received without error; and
each electronic detonator conducting a pre-fire countdown to expiration and thereupon commencing a final fire countdown that concludes with firing.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic detonators set or reset a pre-fire countdown time based on each fire command received without error.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each fire command is associated with a respective pre-fire countdown time, and wherein said final fire countdown is of a delay time that is specified separately for each electronic detonator.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising the step of said blasting machine conveying a particular pre-fire countdown time with each broadcast of a fire command.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic detonators can receive a discharge command at any time during pre-fire countdown.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said electronic detonators are unable to receive a discharge command after pre-fire countdown expiration.
7. An electronic blasting system for conducting a firing sequence including a blasting machine and a plurality of electronic detonators, wherein the blasting machine includes circuitry configured and/or programmed to broadcast, multiple times, a fire command to the plurality of electronic detonators, and wherein the electronic pyrotechnic detonators each include circuitry configured and/or programmed to commence a pre-fire countdown in response to each fire command received without error, and to conduct a pre-fire countdown to expiration and thereupon commence a final fire countdown that concludes with firing.
8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a bus connecting said blasting machine to said electronic detonators.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein each electronic detonator further includes circuitry configured and/or programmed to set or reset a pre-fire countdown time based on each fire command received without error.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each fire command is associated with a respective pre-fire countdown time, and wherein said final fire countdown is of a delay time that is specified separately for each electronic detonator.
11. The system of claim 7 , each said electronic detonator further comprising circuitry configured and/or programmed to receive a discharge command at any time during pre-fire countdown.
12. The system of claim 11 , each said electronic detonator further comprising circuitry configured and/or programmed to preclude reception of any command after pre-fire countdown expiration.
13. A system of electronic detonators configured to conduct a firing sequence in response to broadcast by a blasting machine, multiple times, of a fire command to the system, each electronic detonator comprising circuitry configured and/or programmed to commence a pre-fire countdown in response to each fire command received without error, and to conduct a pre-fire countdown to expiration and thereupon commence a final fire countdown that concludes with firing.
14. The system of claim 13 , each electronic detonator further comprising circuitry configured and/or programmed to set or reset a pre-fire countdown time based on each fire command received without error.
15. The system of claim 13 , each said electronic detonator further comprising circuitry configured and/or programmed to receive a discharge command at any time during pre-fire countdown.
16. The system of claim 15 , each said electronic detonator further comprising circuitry configured and/or programmed to preclude reception of any command after pre-fire countdown expiration.