Mining machine and method for controlling movement of a movable element of a mining machine

Abstract

A method for controlling movement of a movable element of a mining machine includes the steps of providing a relation between control values for a hydraulic valve arranged to affect a movement of the movable element and a parameter representative of the (resulting) movement of the movable element. The method further includes receiving an input representative of a desired movement of the movable element, obtaining a control value for the hydraulic valve based on the relation, and using a parameter value corresponding to the desired movement, operating the hydraulic valve with a control signal using the obtained control value, obtaining, from a feedback mechanism, a feedback relative to the movement of the movable element resulting from operating the hydraulic valve with the control signal, determining a correction value based on the desired movement and the feedback, and updating at least a part of the relation based on the correction value.

1 . A method for controlling movement of a movable element of a mining machine, the method comprising:
 providing a relation between control values for a hydraulic valve arranged to affect a movement of said movable element and a parameter representative of the movement of the movable element;   receiving an input representative of a desired movement of said movable element;   obtaining a control value for the hydraulic valve based on said relation and using a parameter value corresponding to the desired movement;   operating said hydraulic valve with a control signal using the obtained control value;   obtaining from a feedback mechanism, a feedback relative to the movement of the movable element resulting from operating said hydraulic valve with said control signal;   determining a correction value based on said desired movement and said feedback; and   updating at least a part of said relation based on said correction value.   
     
     
         1 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting said control signal based on said correction value. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said relation is implemented as a look-up table and wherein updating said relation based on said correction value includes updating one or more values within said lookup table. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said relation is implemented as an analytic function and wherein updating said relation based on said correction value includes updating one or more parameters of said analytic function. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before updating said relation based on said correction value, verifying whether at least one update condition is fulfilled. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said updating is prevented if it is detected that the mining machine is in a predefined state. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring the updated relation; and
 if a control value of the updated relation exceeds a first threshold value, providing an operator of the mining machine with a warning message; and/or   if a control value exceeds a second threshold value resetting said relation to the initially provided relation.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mining machine includes wheels, said movable element being a first wheel, and wherein said parameter is a speed of said first wheel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said movable element of said mining machine is a rotatable cutter boom, and wherein said parameter is a rotational speed of said rotatable boom relative to a chassis of the mining machine. 
     
     
         9 . A mining machine comprising:
 a movable element;   a hydraulic valve arranged to affect a movement of said movable element;   a feedback mechanism configured to provide a feedback relative to movement of the movable element; and   a controller configured to control operation of the hydraulic valve, said controller being configured to:   receive an input representative of a desired movement of said movable element;   obtain a control value for the hydraulic valve based on a stored relation between control values for the hydraulic valve and a parameter representative of the movement of the movable element, using a parameter value corresponding to the desired movement;   operate the hydraulic valve with a control signal using the obtained control value;   obtain, from the feedback mechanism, a feedback relative to the movement of the movable element resulting from operating said hydraulic valve with said control signal;   determining a correction value based on said desired movement and said feedback; and   update at least a part of said relation based on said correction value.   
     
     
         10 . The mining machine of  claim 10 , wherein said controller is further configured to adjust said control signal based on said correction value. 
     
     
         11 . The mining machine of  claim 10 , further comprising a communication system arranged for interaction with an operator of the mining machine, said communication system being configured to transmit an input representative of a desired movement set by an operator to said controller. 
     
     
         12 . The mining machine of  claim 10 , further comprising wheels arranged for propulsion of said mining machine, wherein said movable element is a first wheel, and wherein said parameter is a speed of said first wheel. 
     
     
         13 . The mining machine of  claim 10 , further comprising a cutter boom rotatably attached to a chassis of said mining machine, and wherein said movable element is said cutter boom, and said parameter is a rotational speed of said rotatable boom relative to the chassis of the mining vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . A storage medium comprising instructions for a controller to control operation of a hydraulic valve of a mining machine, wherein said instructions comprise:
 receiving an input representative of a desired movement of a movable element of said mining machine;   obtaining a control value for the hydraulic valve based on a stored relation between control values for the hydraulic valve and a parameter representative of the movement of the movable element, using a parameter value corresponding to the desired movement;   operating the hydraulic valve with a control signal using the obtained control value;   obtaining, from a feedback mechanism, a feedback relative to the movement of the movable element resulting from operating said hydraulic valve with said control signal;   determining a correction value based on said desired movement and said feedback; and   updating said relation based on said correction value.