Electronic detonator firing method, and electronic detonator
AssigneeDavey Bickford
InventorFranck Guyon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method for firing an electronic detonator including a power storage unit including receiving, via the electronic detonator, a firing order. The following steps are implemented as long as the delay time associated with the electronic detonator has not elapsed since the reception of the firing order: measuring power stored in the power storage unit, and firing the electronic detonator when the measured stored power is less than or equal to a predetermined power.
Claims13
A method for firing an electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) comprising energy storage means (100), the method comprising reception (E2) by the electronic detonator of a firing order, said method comprising the following steps that are implemented as long as a delay time associated with the electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) has not elapsed since said reception (E2) of the firing order:
- measuring (E3) a stored energy in said energy storage means (100), and
- firing (E7) said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) when the measured stored energy is less than or equal to a predetermined energy,
- wherein when said measured stored energy is less than or equal to said predetermined energy, determining (E8) the time difference existing between a period of time that has elapsed since reception of the firing order and said delay time associated with said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N), said firing step (E7) being implemented when said time difference is less than a predetermined time value.
An electronic detonator comprising energy storage means (100) and means for receiving a firing order (200, 201), said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) comprising:
- means for measuring (200, 202, 203) a stored energy in said energy storage means (100), and
- means for firing (200, 201) configured for implementing the firing of said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) before a delay time associated with said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) has elapsed, when said stored energy measured by said measuring means is less than or equal to a predetermined energy,
- wherein the means for measuring and the means for firing implement a firing method comprising the following steps that are implemented as long as a delay time associated with the electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) has not elapsed since said reception (E2) of the firing order:
- measuring (E3) a stored energy in said energy storage means (100), and
- firing (E7) said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) when the measured stored energy is less than or equal to a predetermined energy, and
- when said stored energy measured by said measuring means is less than or equal to the predetermined energy determining (E8) the time difference existing between a period of time that has elapsed since reception of the firing order and said delay time associated with said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N), said firing step (E7) being implemented when said time difference is less than a predetermined time value.
A method for firing an electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) comprising energy storage means (100), the method comprising reception (E2) by the electronic detonator of a firing order, said method comprising the following steps that are implemented as long as a delay time associated with the electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) has not elapsed since said reception (E2) of the firing order:
- measuring (E3) a stored energy in said energy storage means (100), and
- firing (E7) said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) when the measured stored energy is less than or equal to a predetermined energy,
- wherein said predetermined energy corresponds to a energy necessary for supplying and for firing said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N), and
- wherein when said measured stored energy is less than or equal to said predetermined energy, the method further comprises a step of determining (E8) the time difference existing between a period of time that has elapsed since reception of the firing order and said delay time associated with said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N), said firing step (E7) being implemented when said time difference is less than a predetermined time value.
A method for firing an electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) comprising energy storage means (100), the method comprising reception (E2) by the electronic detonator of a firing order, said method comprising the following steps that are implemented as long as a delay time associated with the electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) has not elapsed since said reception (E2) of the firing order:
- measuring (E3) a stored energy in said energy storage means (100), and
- firing (E7) said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N) when the measured stored energy is less than or equal to a predetermined energy,
- comparing the measured stored energy to said predetermined energy,
- wherein said step of measuring the stored energy comprises a step (E3) of measuring a voltage at the terminals of the energy storage means, and said comparison step comprises a step (E4) of comparing said measured voltage with a predetermined voltage (VA, VT) representative of said predetermined energy, and
- wherein when said measured stored energy is less than or equal to said predetermined energy, the method further comprises a step of determining (E8) the time difference existing between a period of time that has elapsed since reception of the firing order and said delay time associated with said electronic detonator (1, 2, . . . , N), said firing step (E7) being implemented when said time difference is less than a predetermined time value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.