IP Library Granted Patent US 9,589,076
Granted Patent B2
US 9,589,076 · App. 13/827,461 · Granted Mar 7, 2017

Area-based open pit mine designer

Inventors: Adrian Ferrier (Atlanta, GA); Juan Carlos Santamaria (Suwanee, GA); Augusto Opdenbosch (Alpharetta, GA); Mitch Altman (Roswell, GA)
Assignee: Trimble Inc.
G06F17/50E21C41/26G06F17/5004
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,589,076
App. No.
13/827,461
Granted
Mar 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An area-based open pit mine designer is disclosed. One example includes an economic shell receiver module to receive an economic shell. In addition, a user input module receives a user parametric input denoting an open pit mine shape based on the economic shell. The open pit mine designer module automatically develops an open pit mine design based on the user parametric input.

Claims (45)

1. A method for an area-based designing of an open pit mine, said method comprising:

receiving, at a computer system, an economic shell for an open pit mine location;

receiving, at the computer system, user parametric input denoting an open pit mine shape based on the economic shell, wherein the user parametric input is painted over the economic shell;

receiving, at the computer system, user adjustable open pit mine design metrics;

receiving, at the computer system, a current market condition for at least two types of ore;

automatically generating, at the computer system, an open pit mine design including a location of a haul road, the open pit mine design based on the parametric input, the user adjustable open pit mine design metrics, and the current market condition;

receiving, at the computer system, an updated market condition for the at least two types of ore; and

automatically updating, at the computer system, the location of the haul road based on the updated market condition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user adjustable open pit mine design metrics comprise:

a mine machinery characteristic comprising a weight restriction for a given vehicle; and

an open pit mine characteristic comprising a step out width and a switchback haul road information;

said mine machinery characteristic selected from the group consisting of: a truck parameters, a truck geometry, a slope restriction, a turning radius and a width of a haul road for said given vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user adjustable open pit mine design metrics further comprise:

a geological metric selected from the group consisting of: an available land, a waste dump locations, an ore drop locations and a geological information for material around the ore.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said open pit mine characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a bench height, a berm width, a slope angle, a ramp width, a stack height, and a stack slope.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically regenerating the open pit mine design when the user adjustable open pit mine design metric is modified.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the user parametric input for a deepest layer of the open pit mine; and

automatically generating the open pit mine design from the deepest layer to a surface based on the parametric input.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the user parametric input for a surface layer of the open pit mine; and

automatically generating the open pit mine design from the surface layer to a deepest layer based on the parametric input.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the user parametric input for a selected depth layer of the open pit mine; and

automatically generating the open pit mine design in both a shallow and a deeper direction from the selected depth layer based on the parametric input.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

evaluating the open pit mine design against design objective metrics selected from the group consisting of: a minimized amount of waste to be removed, a time frame, a maximization of ore obtained and a mine machinery availability.

10. A data processing apparatus for parametric open pit mine design comprising:

a computer-readable memory for storing data and instructions; and

a processor for executing said instructions to perform operations comprising:

receiving an economic shell for an open pit mine location;

receiving user parametric input denoting an open pit mine shape based on the economic shell, wherein the user parametric input is painted over the economic shell;

receiving user adjustable open pit mine design metrics;

receiving, at the computer system, a current market condition for at least two types of ore;

automatically generating an open pit mine design including a location of a haul road, the open pit mine design based on the parametric input, the user adjustable open pit mine design metrics, and the current market condition;

receiving an updated market condition for the at least two types of ore; and

automatically updating the location of the haul road based on the updated market condition.

11. The data processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said operations further comprise:

receiving environmental information including available land, wherein said environmental information is selected from the group consisting of: a waste dump locations, an ore drop locations and a geological information for material around the ore.

12. The data processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said operations further comprise:

receiving a open pit mine characteristic, wherein the open pit mine characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a bench height, a berm width, a slope angle, a ramp width, a stack height, and a stack slope.

13. The data processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said operations further comprise:

receiving an engineering metric, wherein the engineering metric is selected from the group consisting of: truck parameters, truck geometry and vehicle capability characteristics.

14. The data processing apparatus of claim 13 wherein the vehicle capability characteristics is selected from the group consisting of: a slope restriction, a turning radius and a width of a haul road for said given vehicle.

Assignments (3)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 26, 2017
From: TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED; TRIMBLE INC.
To: TRIMBLE INC.
Reel/Frame 042819/0958 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INVENTOR NAME IS LISTED AS OPENBOSCH,AUGUSTO PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 030810 FRAME 0599. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2015
From: FERRIER, ADRIAN; SANTAMARIA, JUAN CARLOS; OPDENBOSCH, AUGUSTO; ALTMAN, MITCH
To: TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 037109/0850 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 16, 2013
From: FERRIER, ADRIAN; SANTAMARIA, JUAN CARLOS; OPENBOSCH, AUGUSTO; ALTMAN, MITCH
To: TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 030810/0599 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 13827239 · Mar 14, 2013
Provisional Application 61616868 · Mar 28, 2012
Related Publication 20130262046A1 · Oct 3, 2013