Granted Patent B2

US 12,553,791 · App. 18/351,060 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventor: Toby J. Cressman (Titusville, PA)

Assignee: JOY GLOBAL UNDERGROUND MINING LLC

G01M5/0075G01M5/0033G05D1/0094

Abstract

Claims (71)

1 . A remote monitoring vehicle for an industrial site comprising:

one or more sensors;

a drive mechanism for driving the remote monitoring vehicle;

a first extension arm coupled to a first attachment; and

a controller coupled to the one or more sensors, the drive mechanism, and the first extension arm; the controller is configured to:

navigate, using the drive mechanism, the remote monitoring vehicle along a predetermined path of the industrial site;

receive, from the one or more sensors, sensor data relating to a component of mining equipment;

determine a state of the component based on the sensor data;

determine whether the state of the equipment component meets a threshold state for maintenance;

generate an alert indicating a maintenance event for the mining equipment when the state of the component meets the threshold state for maintenance; and

remove the component using the first extension arm when the state of the component meets the threshold state for maintenance.

2 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a second extension arm coupled to the controller, wherein the second extension arm is further coupled to a second attachment.

3 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first attachment is different from the second attachment.

4 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first attachment and the second are each selected from a group including a pick removing tool and a grabber assembly.

5 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism includes one or more propellers.

6 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are each selected from a grouping including a microphone, an imaging device, a thermal imaging device, and a vibration sensor.

7 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a pick bin, wherein the pick bin is provided within a proximity of the first extension arm such that the first extension arm can access a content of the pick bin.

8 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

correlate a position of the first extension arm with a position of a bit block of the mining equipment having a worn cutting pick;

remove, using the first extension arm, the worn cutting pick from the bit block;

grab, using the first extension arm, a new cutting pick from the pick bin; and

place, using the first extension arm, the new cutting pick on the bit block.

9 . The remote monitoring vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify a cable of the mining equipment to be moved;

secure, using the first extension arm, the cable to the remote monitoring vehicle;

navigate, using the drive mechanism, the remote monitoring vehicle to a desired location; and

place, using the first extension arm, the cable at the desired location.

10 . A method for offboard monitoring of an industrial site using a remote monitoring vehicle having a first extension arm coupled to a first attachment, the method comprising:

navigating, using a controller, a remote monitoring vehicle along a predetermined path of the industrial site;

receiving, using the controller, sensor data relating to a component of mining equipment from one or more sensors of the remote monitoring vehicle;

determining, using the controller, a state of the component based on the sensor data;

determining, using the controller, whether the state of the component meets a threshold state for maintenance;

generating, using the controller, an alert indicating a maintenance event for the mining equipment when the state of the component meets the threshold state for maintenance; and

removing the component using the first extension arm when the state of the component meets the threshold state for maintenance.

11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:

correlating, using the controller, a position of an extension arm of the remote monitoring vehicle with a position of a bit block of the mining equipment having a worn cutting pick;

removing, using the extension arm of the remote monitoring vehicle, the worn cutting pick from the bit block;

grabbing, using the extension arm, a new cutting pick from a pick bin; and

placing, using the extension arm, the new cutting pick on the bit block.

12 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:

identifying, using the controller, a cable of the mining equipment to be moved;

securing, using an extension arm of the remote monitoring vehicle, the cable to the remote monitoring vehicle;

navigating, using the controller, the remote monitoring vehicle to a desired location; and

placing, using the extension arm, the cable at the desired location.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the receiving, using the controller, the sensor data relating to the mining equipment further comprises receiving sensor data from different types of sensors.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the receiving sensor data relating to an equipment comprises receiving a first sensor data from a first sensor of the remote monitoring vehicle and a second sensor data from a second sensor of the remote monitoring vehicle,

wherein the determining the state of the mining equipment comprises determining a first state of the mining equipment based on the first sensor data and determining a second state of the mining equipment based on the second sensor data,

determining whether the state of the mining equipment meets the threshold state for maintenance comprises determining whether the first state of the mining equipment meets a first threshold state for maintenance and whether the second state of the mining equipment meets a second threshold state for maintenance, and

wherein the first sensor is a different type of sensor than the second sensor.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating the alert indicating the maintenance event for the mining equipment comprises only generating the alert when both the first state of the mining equipment meets the first threshold state for maintenance and the second state of the mining equipment meets the second threshold state for maintenance.

16 . A system for remote monitoring for an industrial site comprising:

a mining equipment; and

a remote monitoring vehicle for monitoring the mining equipment, the remote monitoring vehicle comprising:

one or more sensors;

a drive mechanism for driving the remote monitoring vehicle;

a first extension arm coupled to a first attachment; and

a controller coupled to the one or more sensors the drive mechanism, and the first extension arm; the controller is configured to:

navigate, using the drive mechanism, the remote monitoring vehicle along a predetermined path of the industrial site;

receive, from the one or more sensors, sensor data relating to a component of the mining equipment;

determine a state of the component based on the sensor data;

determine whether the state of the component meets a threshold state for maintenance;

generate an alert indicating a maintenance event for the mining equipment when the state of the component meets the threshold state for maintenance;

secure, using the first extension arm, the component to the remote monitoring vehicle;

navigate, using the drive mechanism, the remote monitoring vehicle to a desired location; and

place, using the first extension arm, the component at the desired location.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the remote monitoring vehicle further comprising a second extension arm coupled to the controller, wherein the second extension arm is further coupled to a second attachment.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the first attachment is different from the second attachment.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the first attachment and the second are each selected from a group including a pick removing tool and a grabber assembly.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the drive mechanism includes one or more propellers.

21 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more sensors are each selected from a group including a microphone, an imaging device, a thermal imaging device, and a vibration sensor.

22 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the remote monitoring vehicle further comprising a pick bin, wherein the pick bin is provided within a proximity of the first extension arm such that the first extension arm can access a content of the pick bin.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (17)