Abstract: There is provided a method including the steps of receiving mine operations data from a set of data sources in a mine, the mine operations data, processing the mine operations data to detect a set of events meeting at least one operator attention triggering condition, mapping the set of events to a mine model on the basis of location information associated with the events in the set of events, determining an affected location area of the set of events mapped to the mine model, and generating an operator attention indicator dependent on density of events in the affected location area for display for the set of events in the affected location area in the mine model to an operator to adjust operation of one or more mine operations devices.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a safety device adapted to prevent workers from going into hazardous environment, such as underground using the faulty safety device. As a safety device, typically embodied as a cap lamp, must be charged prior to each use, the device is adapted to detect when the device is removed from the charger. The device starts to blink continuously when disconnected from the charger. An automated test procedure is completed on the device. The user may also complete a manual portion of the test procedure to make the device usable. When the test procedure is completed successfully, the lamp stops blinking. If the test procedure is not successful, the lamp continues blinking to effectively prevent user from using a faulty device.

Abstract: A method for acknowledging presence in a context-aware environment includes the steps of detecting, with at least one context awareness mechanism, if a context-aware device is within a predetermined range or distance. The method further includes, that when the vehicle device or personal device is within a range of the moving vehicle, sending a request of acknowledgment to the vehicle device or personal device. In events where the moving vehicle device does not receive an acknowledgment from another vehicle or a worker within a predetermined duration, the moving vehicle is automatically stopped. In events where the moving vehicle device receives an acknowledgment from all the devices within the predetermined range, the device of the moving vehicle considers the context as non-hazardous and the vehicle may continue along its path.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a safety device adapted to prevent workers from going into hazardous environment, such as underground using the faulty safety device. As a safety device, typically embodied as a cap lamp, must be charged prior to each use, the device is adapted to detect when the device is removed from the charger. The device starts to blink continuously when disconnected from the charger. An automated test procedure is completed on the device. The user may also complete a manual portion of the test procedure to make the device usable. When the test procedure is completed successfully, the lamp stops blinking. If the test procedure is not successful, the lamp continues blinking to effectively prevent user from using a faulty device.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a safety devices adapted to prevent workers from going into hazardous environment, such as underground using the faulty safety device. As a safety device, typically embodied as a cap lamp, must be charged prior to each use, the device is adapted to detect when the device is removed from the charger. The device starts to blink continuously when disconnected from the charger. An automated test procedure is completed on the device. The user may also complete a manual portion of the test procedure to make the device usable. When the test procedure is completed successfully, the lamp stops blinking. If the test procedure is not successful, the lamp continues blinking to effectively prevent user from using a faulty device.

Abstract: There is provided a method including the steps of receiving mine operations data from a set of data sources in a mine, the mine operations data, processing the mine operations data to detect a set of events meeting at least one operator attention triggering condition, mapping the set of events to a mine model on the basis of location information associated with the events in the set of events, determining an affected location area of the set of events mapped to the mine model, and generating an operator attention indicator dependent on density of events in the affected location area for display for the set of events in the affected location area in the mine model to an operator to adjust operation of one or more mine operations devices.

Abstract: A method for acknowledging presence in a context-aware environment includes the steps of detecting, with at least one context awareness mechanism, if a context-aware device is within a predetermined range or distance. The method further includes, that when the vehicle device or personal device is within a range of the moving vehicle, sending a request of acknowledgment to the vehicle device or personal device. In events where the moving vehicle device does not receive an acknowledgment from another vehicle or a worker within a predetermined duration, the moving vehicle is automatically stopped. In events where the moving vehicle device receives an acknowledgment from all the devices within the predetermined range, the device of the moving vehicle considers the context as non-hazardous and the vehicle may continue along its path.

Abstract: A system and method to monitor material movement is provided. The method and system include automatically capturing data with minimal manual data entry or without any manual data entry, such system aiming at eliminating human errors or at least reducing to a minimum such errors. The system is generally configured to capture at least information in relation of to the location of loading/dumping of a vehicle and the net payload that was dumped by the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a safety devices adapted to prevent workers from going into hazardous environment, such as underground using the faulty safety device. As a safety device, typically embodied as a cap lamp, must be charged prior to each use, the device is adapted to detect when the device is removed from the charger. The device starts to blink continuously when disconnected from the charger. An automated test procedure is completed on the device. The user may also complete a manual portion of the test procedure to make the device usable. When the test procedure is completed successfully, the lamp stops blinking. If the test procedure is not successful, the lamp continues blinking to effectively prevent user from using a faulty device.

Abstract: There is provided a power management method to extend the battery life of wireless routers being parts of Wi-Fi or other high-bandwidth wireless mesh networks. The method comprises the steps of connecting the clients, such as smart phones or computers, on a constant, low-bandwidth connection, using the low-bandwidth protocol/network of the routers, and to activate the high-bandwidth protocol of the router, thus providing a high-bandwidth connection to clients, only when either a request is sent by the client, or the file to transfer has a size to important to be supported by the low-bandwidth connection. There is also provided a method to minimize the power consumption of a mesh of wireless routers by activating the high-bandwidth protocol to only the routers that are located on the shortest route between the main router and the client.

Abstract: Personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices configured to be used in collision avoidance systems are disclosed. The collision avoidance devices are configured to be aware of the context (e.g. position, location, state, status, etc.) in which the person or vehicle is. This awareness allows the devices to avoid transmitting non-hazardous proximity warnings when the context does not warrant the transmission of proximity warnings, and to transmit special critical proximity warnings when the context warrants the transmission of such proximity warnings. To detect the context, the devices comprise one or more context-awareness mechanisms (e.g. user input interfaces, sensors, infra-red receivers, etc.), each of which being capable of detecting one or more particular contexts. A collision avoidance system comprising these personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices is also presented.

Abstract: Personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices configured to be used in collision avoidance systems are disclosed. The collision avoidance devices are configured to be aware of the context (e.g. position, location, state, status, etc.) in which the person or vehicle is. This awareness allows the devices to avoid transmitting non-hazardous proximity warnings when the context does not warrant the transmission of proximity warnings, and to transmit special critical proximity warnings when the context warrants the transmission of such proximity warnings. To detect the context, the devices comprise one or more context-awareness mechanisms (e.g. user input interfaces, sensors, infra-red receivers, etc.), each of which being capable of detecting one or more particular contexts. A collision avoidance system comprising these personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices is also presented.

Abstract: There is provided a method of reducing energy consumption of network infrastructure nodes in a wireless network, the method comprising: (a) turning a transmitter and a receiver of the network infrastructure node to a power-off state; b) powering-on the transmitter of the network infrastructure node for a limited transmission time frame; c) during the transmission time frame, transmitting a beacon message comprising an identifier of the network infrastructure node, channel characteristics of the network infrastructure node and a powering-on schedule of the receiver of the network infrastructure node, for allowing mobile terminal nodes in the network to communicate with the network infrastructure node, where the mobile terminal nodes are almost continuously in a power-on state; d) powering-on the receiver of the network infrastructure node during a limited reception time frame in accordance with the schedule, for enabling the receiver to receive messages transmitted by the mobile terminal nodes in the network i

Abstract: Personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices configured to be used in collision avoidance systems are disclosed. The collision avoidance devices are configured to be aware of the context (e.g. position, location, state, status, etc.) in which the person or vehicle is. This awareness allows the devices to avoid transmitting non-hazardous proximity warnings when the context does not warrant the transmission of proximity warnings, and to transmit special critical proximity warnings when the context warrants the transmission of such proximity warnings. To detect the context, the devices comprise one or more context-awareness mechanisms (e.g. user input interfaces, sensors, infra-red receivers, etc.), each of which being capable of detecting one or more particular contexts. A collision avoidance system comprising these personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices is also presented.

Abstract: A post-accident network probe and a method of using such a probe are disclosed. The probe is configured to be deployed in a confined environment (e.g. an underground mine), typically after an accident has occurred, in order to establish a connection with the wireless network, or a portion thereof, located therein. The probe generally allows the rescuers to determine the position of potentially trapped miners and can allow the rescuers to have access to environment-related information collected by the network, to get vital signs information, and/or to communicate with the trapped miners. The probe can be deployed using different access methods such as bore holes (existing or new), ventilation shafts, preventive installations of probes, etc. Notably, since the probe establishes a connection with the network, the location of the probe does not have to be exactly where the miners are located as long as the miners are tracked by the network.

Abstract: There is provided a method of reducing energy consumption of tag readers in a wireless network, the method comprising: (a) turning a transmitter and a receiver of the tag reader to a power-off state; b) powering-on the transmitter of the tag reader for a limited transmission time frame; c) during the transmission time frame, transmitting a beacon message comprising an identifier of the tag reader, channel characteristics of the tag reader and a powering-on schedule of the receiver of the tag reader, for allowing tags in the network to communicate with the tag reader, where the tags are almost continuously in a power-on state; d) powering-on the receiver of the tag reader during a limited reception time frame in accordance with the schedule, for enabling the receiver to receive messages transmitted by the tags in the network if required; e) repeating steps a) to d) periodically. There is further provided a battery-powered tag reader which reduces energy consumption.

Abstract: A method and system for the detection, notification and tracking of cargo theft proposes to install, inside cargo to be protected, a tracking device having communication and dead reckoning capabilities. As long as the tracking device senses that it is within a virtual fence generated by an access point, it lays dormant. When the tracking device senses that it is no longer within the virtual fence it activates the dead reckoning capabilities and communicates with a central server to supply dead reckoning data thereto. The central server processes this data and determines the current location of the cargo.

Abstract: A device, system and method for the detection of intrusion using radio frequency (RF) signals are provided. The system comprises at least two devices. The system detects intrusion by measuring the Received Signal Strength (RSS) of a RF signal sent by the first device to the second device via a RF channel. The RF signal receiving device determines if the variation of the current RSS value is due to an intrusion in the RF channel or not an acts appropriately.

Abstract: A method and system for the detection, notification and tracking of cargo theft proposes to install, inside cargo to be protected, a tracking device having communication and dead reckoning capabilities. As long as the tracking device senses that it is within a virtual fence generated by an access point, it lays dormant. When the tracking device senses that it is no longer within the virtual fence it activates the dead reckoning capabilities and communicates with a central server to supply dead reckoning data thereto. The central server processes this data and determines the current location of the cargo.

Abstract: A jamming-resistant method and system transmit security data through a wireless telecommunication network from a first station to a second station remote from the first station. Prior to transmission, common access channels of the wireless telecommunication network are determined. The security data are then transmitted from the first station to the second station through a plurality of the common access channels of the wireless telecommunication network. The security data may be transmitted from the first station to the second station without receiving local access parameters from the wireless telecommunication network at the time of transmission.