Reader apparatus and methods for verifying electropnic detonator position locations at a blasting site

Abstract

Portable data reader apparatus and methods are presented for verifying electronic detonator locations at a blasting site in which the reader electronically interrogates one or more detonators connected to wires accessible at the blasting site and receives a detonator serial ID number. The reader searches an internal data store or wirelessly queries an external device to obtain a position number corresponding to the received detonator serial ID number and displays the position number to the user.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A portable reader apparatus for verifying electronic detonator position locations at a blasting site, comprising:
 a housing;   at least one terminal on an outer side of the housing for connection with at least one electrical wire coupled with at least one electronic detonator at the blasting site;   interface circuitry in an interior of the housing and operatively coupled with the at least one terminal to send and receive electrical signals to and from the at least one electronic detonator;   a display mounted to the housing;   an electronic memory located in the interior of the housing and operative to store a plurality of unique detonator serial ID numbers and corresponding position numbers; and   at least one processor in an interior of the housing and operatively coupled with the interface circuitry, the display, and the electronic memory, the at least one processor being programed:
 to receive a detonator serial ID number from the at least one electronic detonator via the at least one terminal and the interface circuitry, 
 to compare the received detonator serial ID number with the plurality of detonator serial ID numbers in the electronic memory, and 
 to cause the display to render a position number from the electronic memory that corresponds to the received detonator serial ID number. 
   
     
     
         2 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a geophysical locator operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the electronic memory stores geographic location data corresponding to at least some of the stored detonator serial ID numbers, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed:
 to obtain a current geographic location using the geophysical locator when the at least one terminal is operatively coupled with the at least one electronic detonator, to compare the current geographic location obtained using the geophysical locator with the geographic location data stored in the electronic memory, and   to selectively cause the display to render a warning message if the current geographic location obtained using the geophysical locator does not match the geographic location data stored in the electronic memory.   
     
     
         3 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one communication interface operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is operative to receive at least some of the detonator serial ID numbers and corresponding position numbers from an external device using the at least one communication interface. 
     
     
         4 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one communication interface is operative to wirelessly communicate with the external device. 
     
     
         5 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 4 , comprising a GPS system operatively coupled with the at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed to obtain a current geographic location using the GPS system when the at least one terminal is operatively coupled with the at least one electronic detonator. 
     
     
         6 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed to cause the display to render the current geographic location obtained from the GPS system. 
     
     
         7 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one communication interface includes a universal serial bus (USB) port allowing the at least one processor to receive data from the at least one external device. 
     
     
         8 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 1 :
 comprising at least one wireless communication interface operative to provide wireless communications between the portable reader apparatus and an external device;   wherein if the electronic memory does not include the received detonator serial ID number, the at least one processor is programed:
 to provide the received detonator serial ID number to the external device using the at least one wireless communication interface, 
 to receive a position number from the external device, the position number corresponding to the received detonator serial ID number sent to the external device, and 
 to cause the display to render the position number obtained from the external device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed to cause the display to render an error message if the electronic memory does not include the received detonator serial ID number and if no corresponding position number is received from the external device. 
     
     
         10 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a geophysical locator operatively coupled with the at least one processor, where the electronic memory stores geographic location data corresponding to at least some of the stored detonator serial ID numbers, and wherein the at least one processor is programmed:
 to obtain a current geographic location using the geophysical locator when the at least one terminal is operatively coupled with the at least one electronic detonator,   to compare the current geographic location obtained using the geophysical locator with the geographic location data stored in the electronic memory, and   to selectively cause the display to render a warning message if the current geographic location obtained using the geophysical locator does not match the geographic location data stored in the electronic memory.   
     
     
         11 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed to cause the display to render an error message if the electronic memory does not include the received detonator serial ID number. 
     
     
         12 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is unable to send any arming or firing commands to a connected electronic detonator, wherein the portable reader apparatus does not have sufficient power, energy, or voltage to arm or fire the electronic detonator, and wherein the interface circuitry coupled with the at least one terminal consists of circuitry incapable of arming or firing a connected electronic detonator. 
     
     
         13 . A portable reader apparatus for verifying electronic detonator position locations at a blasting site, comprising:
 a housing;   at least one terminal on an outer side of the housing for connection with at least one electrical wire coupled with at least one electronic detonator at the blasting site;   interface circuitry in an interior of the housing and operatively coupled with the at least one terminal to send and receive electrical signals to and from the at least one electronic detonator;   a display mounted to the housing;   at least one wireless communication interface operative to provide wireless communications between the portable reader apparatus and an external device;   at least one processor in an interior of the housing and operatively coupled with the interface circuitry, the display, and the at least one wireless communication interface, the at least one processor being programed:
 to receive a detonator serial ID number from the at least one electronic detonator via the at least one terminal and the interface circuitry, 
 to provide the detonator serial ID number to the external device using the at least one wireless communication interface, 
 to receive a position number from the external device, the position number corresponding to the detonator serial ID number sent to the external device, and 
 to cause the display to render the position number obtained from the external device. 
   
     
     
         14 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a geophysical locator operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is programmed:
 to obtain a current geographic location using the geophysical locator when the at least one terminal is operatively coupled with the at least one electronic detonator,   to receive geographic location data associated with the at least one electronic detonator from the external device,   to compare the current geographic location obtained using the geophysical locator with the geographic location data obtained from the external device, and   to selectively cause the display to render a warning message if the current geographic location obtained using the geophysical locator does not match the geographic location data obtained from the external device.   
     
     
         15 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed to cause the display to render the current geographic location obtained from the GPS system. 
     
     
         16 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed to cause the display to render an error message if no corresponding position number is received from the external device. 
     
     
         17 . The portable reader apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is unable to send any arming or firing commands to a connected electronic detonator, wherein the portable reader apparatus does not have sufficient power, energy, or voltage to arm or fire the electronic detonator, and wherein the interface circuitry coupled with the at least one terminal consists of circuitry incapable of arming or firing a connected electronic detonator. 
     
     
         18 . A method for verifying electronic detonator position locations at a blasting site, the method comprising:
 electrically coupling a portable reader device to at least one electronic detonator at the blasting site;   communicating with the at least one electronic detonator to receive a detonator serial ID number from the at least one electronic detonator;   automatically obtaining a position number that corresponds to the received detonator serial ID number; and   displaying the position number on the portable reader device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein automatically obtaining the position number comprises:
 comparing the received detonator serial ID number with a plurality of unique detonator serial ID numbers stored in an electronic memory of the portable reader device; and   obtaining a position number that corresponds to the received detonator serial ID number from a plurality of position numbers stored in the electronic memory.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein automatically obtaining the position number comprises:
 providing the detonator serial ID number to an external device using a wireless communication interface of the portable reader device;   receiving a position number into the portable reader device from the external device; and   displaying the position number obtained from the external device on the portable reader device.