Integrated automation system

1. A method of effecting autonomous operations within a defined geographical region, the method comprising:

establishing an autonomous system of a management party for the defined geographical region;

establishing in the autonomous system of the management party a plurality of localized zones having operation-defined geographical boundaries within the geographical region, the autonomous system of the management party using parameters of the plurality of localized zones to create a plurality of controllers such that each one of the plurality of controllers is associated with a respective one of the localized zones, wherein each controller is configured in a hierarchy determined by the spatial location of the localized zones in the geographical region;

employing autonomous entities having autonomous operating systems to perform specific autonomous operations within respective ones of the localized zones, wherein the autonomous entities comprise at least one mobile autonomous entity;

combining information from a plurality of sensors to form a common operating picture of the geographic region and the autonomous entities; and

integrating the autonomous system of the management party with the autonomous operating systems of the autonomous entities, wherein said integrating comprises:

registering, in the autonomous system of the management party, the autonomous entities with respective corresponding controllers of the localized zones so as to associate supervisory control of the autonomous entities with the respective corresponding controllers; and

the autonomous system of the management party, through the associated controllers of the respective localized zones, issuing commands to the autonomous operating systems of the registered autonomous entities in order to direct the autonomous operations of the registered autonomous entities within the respective localized zones;

controlling movement of the mobile autonomous entity between localized zones by the autonomous system of the management party;

registering the mobile autonomous entity with a respective corresponding controller of a different localized zone if the mobile autonomous entity moves into the different localized zone.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising: providing transition zones between adjacent localized zones, wherein the autonomous system of the management party directs the mobile autonomous entity to pass through the transition zone if moving between the adjacent zones.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:

varying the geographical boundary of at least one of the localized zones within the defined geographical region.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein establishing the plurality of localized zones uses geographical boundaries comprising a physical barrier.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein establishing the plurality of localized zones uses geographical boundaries comprising a virtual barrier.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 comprising:

mapping the virtual barrier using a position-based control system.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the defined geographical region comprises a mine site and wherein the localized zones respectively embrace distinct mine operation areas within the mine site.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the mine operation areas include drilling, blasting, loading, haulage and plant areas of the mine site.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

enabling at least one management party operator to exercise overriding control over the autonomous system of the management party and, by way of that system, exercise overriding control over the autonomous operating systems of the autonomous entities.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 comprising enabling the management party operator to query the autonomous system of the management party and the autonomous operating systems.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 comprising providing the operator with authority to supersede or shut down automation systems.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 comprising the autonomous system of the managing party enabling the operator to perform one or more tasks selected from a group consisting of:

monitoring the status of the autonomous entities;

managing, planning and scheduling operations in the geographic region;

handling and managing emergency situations; and

regulatory assessment of information systems.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said integrating comprises the autonomous system of the management party:

scheduling tasks for the operation of the autonomous entities.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said autonomous operating systems comprise an autonomous system controlling a plurality of autonomous entities within a said localized zone.

15. An automation system for integrating operation of a plurality of autonomous entities within a defined geographic region, comprising:

a picture compilation system that combines information from a plurality of sensors to form a common operating picture of the geographic region and the autonomous entities, wherein the geographic region comprises a plurality of localized zones having operation-defined geographical boundaries and wherein the autonomous entities have autonomous operating systems to perform specific autonomous operations within respective ones of the localized zones; and

a control system in communication with the picture compilation system, comprising at least one controller corresponding to each localized zone, the control system using the parameters of the plurality of localized zones to create the at least one controller and associate each controller with a respective one of the localized zones,

wherein each controller is configured in a hierarchy determined by the spatial location of the localized zones in the geographical region,

wherein the autonomous entities are registered with respective corresponding controllers of the localized zones so as to associate supervisory control of the autonomous entities with the respective corresponding controllers, and

wherein the autonomous entities are associated with respective controllers and the controllers are arranged to issue commands to the autonomous operating systems of the registered autonomous entities in order to direct the autonomous operations of the associated autonomous entities to integrate operation of the plurality of autonomous entities within the defined geographic region;

wherein at least one of the autonomous entities is mobile and the control system is arranged to control movement of the mobile autonomous entity between localized zones;

wherein the control system is arranged to associate the mobile entity with a different controller if the mobile autonomous entity moves into a localized zone corresponding to the different controller.

16. The automation system as claimed in claim 15 , further comprising:

a planning system in communication with the picture compilation system and the control system that schedules tasks for the operation of the autonomous entities.

17. The automation system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the controlled plurality of autonomous entities is heterogeneous and comprises at least first and second entity types.

18. The automation system as claimed in claim 15 comprising a plurality of interface units enabling interoperability of the automation system and autonomous operating systems of the autonomous entities.

19. The automation system as claimed in claim 15 comprising at least one operator interface that enables an operator to exercise overriding control over the automation system and, by way of the automation system, over the entities.

20. The automation system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the picture compilation system comprises a plurality of sub-systems that correspond to respective localized zones, the sub-systems arranged to form an operating picture of the corresponding localized zones.

21. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising employing human operated entities within one or more of the localized zones, and directing operation of the human operated entities within the respective localized zones.

22. The automation system as claimed in claim 15 adapted to accommodate human operated entities deployed in one or more of the localized zones, wherein:

the operating picture includes information about the human operated entities, and

the human operated entities are associated with respective controllers and the controllers are arranged to direct operation of the human operated entities within the defined geographic region.